


Sterek RPs: Unedited

by seekeronthepath



Series: Sterek RPs [8]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Aging, Alternate Universe - High School, Arguments, Best Friends, Bisexual Derek, Bisexual Stiles Stilinski, Coming Out, Communication, Coping, Derek Has Issues, Dom/sub, Drunk Stiles, Drunk Texting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Explicit Consent, Fear of Rejection, Flirting, Fluff, Friendship, Gen or Pre-Slash, Grief/Mourning, Hurt Stiles, Insecure Derek, Insecure Stiles Stilinski, Jock Derek, Love Confessions, M/M, Married Couple, Mates, Miscommunication, Morning After, Mutual Attraction, Mutual Pining, Napping, Oral Fixation, Pack Dad Derek Hale, Pack Mother Stiles Stilinski, Panic Attacks, Pining Derek, Pining Stiles Stilinski, Plans For The Future, Protective Derek, Protective Stiles, Relationship Negotiation, Rumors, Scott is a Bad Friend, Self-Hatred, Self-Sacrificing Derek, Spark Stiles Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski Has Low Self-Esteem, Stiles wants kids, Supportive Derek, Talking About Kids, Unresolved, compliments, confession of feelings, misinterpretation, poor communication, talking about outside perspectives, werewolf orphans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-04
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-04-24 18:01:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 49
Words: 70,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4929658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seekeronthepath/pseuds/seekeronthepath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I started amassing omegle logs faster than I could edit them, or wanted to - editing being time consuming and boring. So these ones have had the bare minimum skimming, and are probably less readable than usual, but I'm going to post them anyway. Chapter one is a list of all the other chapters, or will be, because the summary won't let me put that much info here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter Summary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A list of the tags and warnings for every other chapter in this work - will be updated regularly

Chapter Two - Waiting and Giving Up: arguments, mutual pining, Derek has issues about underage sex, so he hid his feelings, Stiles thought it was unrequited, panic attacks, love confessions, communication

Chapter Three - Interspecies Relations: established, adoption, Stiles wants kids, grief, werewolf orphans, insecure Stiles

Chapter Four - Missing Signals: flirting, Stiles getting pinned to walls, explicit consent because Derek is a gentleman, miscommunication, Derek thinks Stiles wants to fuck him but not date him, Stiles sets him straight, Stiles' oral fixation, compliments, love confessions

Chapter Five - Don't You Dare Die On Me: pre-slash, mates, self-sacrificing Derek, Stiles isn't about to put up with that, Derek has issues

Chapter Six - I Do Believe In...You: pack dad Derek, protective Derek, protective Stiles, Stiles has low self esteem, Peter Pan references, self-hatred, both these guys have issues, naps

Chapter Seven - No Competition: high school AU, best friends, jock Derek, Derek has a fanclub, coming out (to each other), bi Derek, bi Stiles, Stiles has low self esteem

Chapter Eight - Getting Older: married with kids, insecure Derek, aging

Chapter Nine - Coping: friendship, insecure Stiles, grieving, coping methods, emotional hurt/comfort

\- WARNING: mention of alcohol abuse - the Sheriff gets drunk when grieving Claudia, and Stiles is uncomfortable being around him. Stiles also mentions getting drunk to avoid his feelings of grief, although this doesn't happen on screen

Chapter Ten - Failure to Communicate: established relationship, arguments, magic Stiles, protective Derek, poor communication

Chapter Eleven - The Truth According to Google: mutual attraction, pining Derek, misinterpretation

Chapter Twelve - A Hint: low self-esteem Stiles, confession of feelings

Chapter Thirteen - Trial Run: established relationship, talking about kids, fluff

Chapter Fourteen - Keeping Up Appearances: friendship, talking about outside perspectives, planning for the future

Chapter Fifteen - What You Really Really Want: established D/s, relationship negotiation

Chapter Sixteen - Drunk-Dial: drunk Stiles, the morning after, confession of feelings, mutual attraction 

Chapter Seventeen - According to Popular Opinion: rumours, mutual pining, fear of rejection, confession of feelings

Chapter Eighteen - Not Just Anything:  insecure Stiles, pack mom Stiles, Stiles doesn't feel like part of the pack, unresolved

Chapter Nineteen - Sadness and Scotch: friends, drunk Stiles, drunk texting, Scott is a bad friend, pining Stiles, bisexual Stiles, supportive Derek

\- WARNING: alcohol abuse - Stiles gets drunk to deal with negative emotions, and implies he does so regularly. Derek urges him to address his problems instead, and to see a therapist. It's also implied that the Sheriff has a similar approach to alcohol.

Chapter Twenty - Revelations: curses, truth spell, mutual pining, talking about love


	2. Waiting and Giving Up

_[At midnight on the dot on Stiles' 18th birthday.]_

Go out with me. DH

 

Are you kidding me right now? - SS

 

No? DH

 

Have you literally been waiting for my eighteenth birthday before even giving me a shred of a sign that my feelings weren't pathetically unreciprocated? - SS

I mean, yes - SS

But also, dude. Seriously. - SS

 

It was illegal to think about being with you. And I did. A lot. DH

 

You couldn't have given me a /hint/? - SS

Also: illegal to fuck me. Not date me. - SS

 

Oh. Really? DH

But now it's not illegal at all. DH

 

The law is literally just about the sex, dude - SS

 

I didn't know that. I'm sorry. DH

 

I guess I can't exactly be mad at you for being a little over-cautious with the law around here - SS

 

I didn't want your father to hate me for being with you before you were an adult. DH

 

yeaaah...that's kind of a thing - SS

He probably cares more about the age gap than the age, though, so expect some dirty looks - SS

 

No. I already asked him. DH

 

You what. - SS

 

He said that it's okay as long as I don't hurt you. I gave him permission to shoot me if I do. DH

 

Again: you couldn't have given me a hint? - SS

 

No. It felt wrong. I'm sorry. DH

 

Because I'm pretty practiced at dealing with unrequited, Derek, but it still damn /hurt/ - SS

 

What? I hurt you? DH

No no no. DH

I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. DH

 

Honestly? It might take a little while - SS

 

Maybe this is a bad idea. I can't hurt you again. DH

 

Don't be an idiot - SS

 

I didn't know. I'm so sorry. DH

 

You hurt me by not being with me so you've decided to not be with me so you won't hurt me? - SS

Excellent logic. Ten points. - SS

 

I can't breathe. DH

 

Oh, shit - SS

Derek, don't...it's fine, honestly - SS

It was only a little, I can cope - SS

It's not that big a deal - SS

You're okay - SS

Just breathe for me, okay? - SS

It's going to be fine - SS

 

I hurt you! DH

I can't hurt you. I love you. DH

I love you. I didn't mean to. DH

I'm sorry. DH

 

Yeah, well, loving someone means hurting, sometimes - SS

I've hurt my dad. I've hurt Scott - SS

And they've hurt me, too - SS

 

Do you hate me now? DH

 

No, Derek. I couldn't hate you - SS

I'm a little angry, that's all - SS

 

I don't want you to be angry. I didn't even really know that you like me. DH

 

Well, I guess we're both idiots then - SS

I love you too - SS

 

You do? DH

 

Yes, Derek - SS

That's why it hurt, that's why I'm angry, that's why I'll forgive you eventually - SS

 

Eventually? DH

When? DH

 

That's not a question I have an answer for - SS

I just know it'll take some time - SS

 

What can I do? DH

 

Just...I need you to respect that while you've been waiting for me, /I've/ been giving up hope - SS

So, while I do want to date you, I need to take it a bit slow, so I can adjust - SS

 

Of course! DH

 

Other than that...you'll just have to give me time - SS

You've apologized, and I know you meant it - SS

I can understand /why/ you acted like you did, even if I don't like it - SS

It's not...you don't need to earn my forgiveness, or anything - SS

And I'd love to go out with you - SS

 

Thank you, Stiles. DH

 

You're welcome. SS


	3. Interspecies Relations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles wants a baby, but he is scared to tell Derek. Derek found out anyways because Stiles accidentally left the website of an adoption agency up.

**You:** Why are you looking into adoption agencies? - DH

**Stranger:** Oh. I was just curious. I'm sorry. SS

**You:** Why are you apologizing for being curious? - DH

**You:** You're always curious - DH

**Stranger:** Because I've been curious for over a year and I've wanted to talk to you about it, but I'm nervous. SS

**Stranger:** I want a family, Derek. With you. SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** You...want kids? - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. I do. Really badly. SS

**Stranger:** Teaching kindergarteners doesn't help my desire either. I want our own. SS

**You:** Oh - DH

**You:** I...I never thought... - DH

**Stranger:** I never said. SS

**You:** Why not? - DH

**You:** You always say things - DH

**Stranger:** I didn't know how you'd feel about it. SS

**Stranger:** Do you want kids? Ss

**You:** ...I don't know - DH

**You:** I do, but I don't - DH

**You:** Family is a lot of things for me - DH

**Stranger:** I don't understand. SS

**You:** I grew up in a big family - DH

**You:** Not just my sisters, and my brother - DH

**You:** My cousins, too - DH

**You:** My mother was the oldest in her generation, and had kids first, and Laura was my only older sibling - DH

**You:** So all the other kids were younger than me - DH

**You:** I was old enough to remember when Joseph was born - DH

**You:** And I did a lot of babysitting - DH

**You:** So, kids...they remind me of my siblings, and my cousins - DH

**Stranger:** Is that bad? SS

**You:** It's not bad, but it's...complicated - DH

**You:** I feel differently about it on different days - DH

**You:** Like I did about the pack, when it was new - DH

**You:** I /wanted/ it, but it was...all tangled up with my memories of my first pack - DH

**Stranger:** Is it something you would consider trying, Derek. SS

**You:** Yes - DH

**You:** I'm a bit fucked up about it, and I'm worried I'll fuck it up, but yes - DH

**You:** I'd love to make a family with you - DH

**Stranger:** It would be ours. We could keep them safe.

**You:** Trust you to cut to the heart of things - DH

**You:** You think we could? - DH

**Stranger:** I know we could. We have an entire pack to help us. SS

**Stranger:** I knew what the real issue was, so I focused on that. SS

**You:** I love you - DH

**Stranger:** I love you too. SS

**Stranger:** We can do this together. SS

**Stranger:** Nobody would touch our kids, Derek. Nothing would harm them. SS

**You:** I'm still going to be over-protective - DH

**Stranger:** And so will I. SS

**You:** You...you really think I would be a decent father? I wouldn't mess them up with all my issues? - DH

**Stranger:** You'd be brilliant. You could teach them so much. SS

**Stranger:** (slight delay) I found an agent that is a werewolf and handles werewolf orphans. SS

**You:** ...you did? - DH

**You:** how? - DH

**Stranger:** Deaton. SS

**You:** Of course - DH

**You:** I shouldn't have asked - DH

**Stranger:** You never know. SS

**You:** But we could have a werewolf kid? - DH

**Stranger:** Would you want a werewolf baby? SS

**You:** I...kind of? - DH

**You:** For me and for them - DH

**Stranger:** Because the thought of you running through the forest with our child is the cutest thing I've ever imagined. SS

**You:** Not that I don't love all you guys, but I don't want the Hale name to die out - DH  
And being a werewolf is an important part of me, of who I am - DH

**You:** I also remember when Laura and I thought I might go into the system - DH

**You:** We were terrified - DH

**You:** Wolves need a pack - DH

**You:** And I, we, can offer that - DH

**Stranger:** I am TOTALLY on board with a little wolf baby. SS

**Stranger:** Ooh and feeding my wolves after a long day of hunting. That would be amazing. SS

**Stranger:** I kinda want a little boy. SS

**You:** You keep saying baby...you want one that's really young, then? - DH

**You:** I don't mind gender - DH

**You:** I'd like either - DH

**Stranger:** I'm not sure. Maybe one or two or three. Little enough that I can cuddle with them a lot. SS

**Stranger:** Maybe a boy first and then a little girl so he can look out for her. SS

**You:** I'd like a girl - DH

**You:** The Hale women were always...well known - DH

**You:** We've been matriarchal, the last few generations - DH

**Stranger:** That's true. SS

**Stranger:** Let's just see which one fits us the best. SS

**You:** Yes - DH

**You:** And...I know you want someone little, and I do too, but...can we keep our eyes open, in case there's someone who needs us? - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. Of course. I'd just really like a kid I can cuddle with. SS

**Stranger:** And pack adorable lunches with. SS

**Stranger:** And dress well for school. SS

**You:** We can do that - DH

**Stranger:** Do you think a bigger kid would let me do that? SS

**You:** It depends. - DH

**You:** On their history as well as their age - DH

**You:** But most wolves are pretty tactile - DH

**You:** And up to the end of elementary you could pack lunches - DH

**You:** I mean, you could for middle school or high school, too, they just couldn't be 'adorable' - DH

**Stranger:** Cool, then. SS

**Stranger:** I know wolves like cuddling, so I'm good there. SS

**You:** The older they are, the more likely they are to have issues, though, I guess - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, I know. SS

**You:** Either about whyever they're up for adoption, or about not being adopted yet - DH

**Stranger:** We'll make them feel better about it. We can tell them that it's because we were made to be their family. SS

**You:** ...don't do that - DH

**Stranger:** Oh. Right. That's stupid. SS

**Stranger:** Sorry. SS

**You:** That makes it sound like their first family was supposed to die, or not want them - DH

**Stranger:** Shit. Right. SS

**Stranger:** What if I fuck up? SS

**You:** It's okay, you just...didn't think - DH

**Stranger:** What if they want you but not me? SS

**You:** I think it's more likely to be the other way around - DH

**You:** I'm not exactly approachable - DH

**Stranger:** But you have a filter about what you say. SS

**Stranger:** And you're cool and I'm really fucking lame. SS

**You:** Do you think your dad is cool? - DH

**You:** Have you ever? - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. My dad is bad ass. I didn't think so in middle school, but all of the other times, yeah. SS

**You:** So are you - DH

**Stranger:** No. I'm skinny, defenseless, human Stiles who is overly excited about being a dad. SS

**You:** I don't think someone can be too excited about having a family - DH

**You:** And you're neither skinny nor defenseless - DH

**You:** As you have insisted to me many, many times - DH

**Stranger:** But I am. You're buff and strong and smooth and funny and beautiful and an alpha and you can win them over easily. SS

**You:** I'm grumpy and stand-offish and intimidating and I hardly ever talk and they're going to run away from me - DH

**You:** /You/ are funny and friendly and surprisingly soothing and really good at distracting people from bad memories and protective in a very wolfish way - DH

**You:** You'll do fine - DH

**Stranger:** What if I do something wrong? SS

**You:** Then we'll fix it - DH

**Stranger:** And you're not like that at home. They'll see that. SS

**You:** Or the pack will smack us up the head and /they'll/ fix it - DH

**You:** That's what pack is for - DH

**Stranger:** What if they don't forgive me? SS

**You:** What exactly are you imagining they wouldn't forgive you for? - DH

**You:** Given time and explanations and apologies - DH

**Stranger:** I don't know. Saying something really stupid and insensitive that I mean to be taken in a different way or embarrassing them on accident. SS

**You:** Parents are embarrassing - DH

**You:** That is a fact of life that all kids learn very young - DH

**You:** They do it accidentally, and on purpose - DH

**You:** And we all blame them out loud, loudly and repeatedly, but we'd miss it if they didn't - DH

**Stranger:** What if they dislike me because I can't go on runs or hunt or anything with them? SS

**Stranger:** What if they don't like having to deal with a human dad? SS

**You:** Then they're wrong - DH

**You:** Every wolf needs to learn to 'deal with' humans - DH

**You:** As part of their family, part of their pack, and part of their life - DH

**You:** If we need to teach them that, then we will - DH

**Stranger:** What if they can't love me because I can't relate to them about any wolf stuff? SS

**Stranger:** I can't breathe. SS

**You:** Stiles, you're fine - DH

**You:** It's okay - DH

**You:** Just keep on breathing, sweetheart - DH

**You:** It's going to be fine - DH

**You:** Everything's going to be alright - DH

**You:** You're perfect, okay? - DH

**You:** It's all fine, Stiles - DH

**You:** We can do this - DH

**Stranger:** No. Not by any standards am I perfect. SS

**You:** By mine you are - DH

**Stranger:** That doesn't count. Yours is very skewed. SS

**Stranger:** Perhaps uncalibrated. SS

**Stranger:** Inaccurate. SS

**You:** It's not - DH

**You:** People are perfect in imperfect, broken ways, sometimes - DH

**You:** And you are - DH

**Stranger:** But my imperfect way is very different from a wolves'. SS

**Stranger:** What if they want dads that they can relate to? SS

**You:** Stiles. Are you friends with Scott? - DH

**You:** Can you relate to him? - DH

**Stranger:** I'll try my hardest, but I won't be good enough. SS

**Stranger:** Yes, but he lived sixteen years as a human, so he knows both. SS

**You:** Can you relate to me? - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. In some things. SS

**You:** Do you think I love you any less because you're human? - DH

**Stranger:** But I know nothing about growing up as a wolf. Or being adopted. SS

**Stranger:** No, but you know better. SS

**Stranger:** And you're more into humans. SS

**You:** Stiles... - DH

**You:** Is a wolf all that I am, to you? - DH

**You:** Am I not human as well? - DH

**Stranger:** No. Of course not. SS

**Stranger:** You're both. SS

**You:** Some things our kid will share with me; some things they'll share with you - DH

**You:** And some things will be all their own - DH

**You:** You don't have to be the same as someone to love them, or to make them happy - DH

**Stranger:** God, why do you always have to be perfect? SS

**Stranger:** I love you so fucking much. SS

**You:** We take turns fucking up and freaking out - DH

**You:** It's the only reason we've made it this far - DH

**You:** You'll have to talk me down sooner or later - DH

**Stranger:** I love you. Thank you. SS

**You:** I love you. - DH

You'll be a great dad - DH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my collaborator for the prompt and Stiles. Hope you enjoyed it!


	4. Missing Signals

**Stranger:** You aren't allowed to pin me to a wall anymore. It's very anticlimactic and it disappoints me. SS

 **You:** What are you talking about? - DH

 **Stranger:** Not a single piece of clothing has been ripped off. And not one kiss! It's depressing. SS

 **You:** Stiles... - DH

 **Stranger:** Derek... SS

 **You:** I don't know what sort of person you think I am, but I'm not actually inclined to ripping clothes off people without talking about it first - DH

 **Stranger:** I though that my accelerated heartbeats and dilated eyes and hormones would be enough. Especially including the fact that I'm almost constantly flirting with you. SS

 **You:** I don't like to assume - DH

 **You:** We were always taught it was rude - DH

 **You:** People's scents are private - DH

 **Stranger:** Private? Are you supposed to try to not smell someone? SS

 **Stranger:** I'm glad you have a good set of morals, sourwolf. SS

 **You:** You're supposed to pretend you can't. Or hear their heartbeat. You don't know why they're having those reactions, and they can't control them, so you shouldn't do anything based just on that. - DH

 **You:** Apart from in survival situations, obviously - DH

 **Stranger:** Oh. That makes sense. SS

 **Stranger:** Well, I'd like you to rip off my clothes sometime. Is that permission enough? SS

 **You:** Mm. I guess I could give it a try, see what happens - DH

 **Stranger:** That works for me. SS

 **Stranger:** I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to. SS

 **You:** Oh, I want to - DH

 **Stranger:** To what extent? SS

 **You:** Why do you think I've been pinning you to walls in the first place? - DH

 **You:** I wanted to feel you - DH

 **Stranger:** Feel me how? SS

 **You:** At the time, pressed up against me, heartbeat rabbit-fast, your scent almost dizzying in its intensity - DH

 **You:** I'm open to other possibilities in future - DH

 **Stranger:** Jesus Christ our lord and savior. SS

 **Stranger:** That's definitely open. You can feel me ANY WAY you'd like. SS

 **Stranger:** Holy shit. SS

 **Stranger:** Were you satisfied with it? SS

 **You:** I can think of some things that would have made it better - DH

 **Stranger:** Feel free to elaborate. SS

 **You:** Less clothes would be nice - DH

 **You:** You wear too many layers - DH

 **Stranger:** I can wear none. SS

 **Stranger:** For you, I mean. Not in public. SS

 **You:** I hope not. Some things I like to keep to myself - DH

 **You:** The sight of you naked is definitely one of those things - DH

 **Stranger:** You can keep me. SS

 **Stranger:** I can be just yours. SS

 **You:** I'd like that very much - DH

 **Stranger:** But only if you'd be just mine. SS

 **You:** I'd like that, too - DH

 **Stranger:** Can we go on dates too? And cuddle? And will you scent me? SS

 **You:** You want to go on a date with me? - DH

 **Stranger:** Preferably a lot, yeah. SS

 **You:** Oh - DH

 **You:** I didn't realize - DH

 **Stranger:** You don't want that. SS

 **Stranger:** Right. SS

 **Stranger:** Fantastic. SS

 **You:** No - DH

 **You:** That's not what I meant - DH

 **You:** I was surprised - DH

 **Stranger:** How is that surprising, der bear? SS

 **You:** I figured you just...thought I was hot - DH

 **Stranger:** Not just, love. SS

 **Stranger:** Hot and brilliant and sweet and caring and strong (both physically and emotionally) and funny and adorable and loving and charming (in your grumpy way) and protective and just Derek. You're amazing. Literally the man of my dreams since I dream about you almost every night. SS

 **You:** [delay]

 **You:** oh - DH

 **Stranger:** Yeah. SS

 **You:** really? - DH

 **Stranger:** Duh. SS

 **You:** I didn't think... - DH

 **Stranger:** Think what? SS

 **You:** People generally don't like me once they know me - DH

 **You:** I can be charming for five minutes at a time, but that's about the limit of my capacity - DH

 **Stranger:** I find you charming 80% of the time. SS

 **You:** thanks - DH

 **Stranger:** The 20% is when you're yelling at me. SS

 **Stranger:** Though that can be sexy. SS

 **You:** I guess that's good to know - DH

 **Stranger:** What about me?

 **Stranger:** *SS

 **You:** you're not sexy when you're yelling at me - DH

 **You:** you're sexy when you're enthusiastic about things - DH

 **You:** or distracted, actually - DH

 **Stranger:** Really? You think so? SS

 **You:** Yeah - DH

 **Stranger:** That's when I'm not trying to be sexy at all. SS

 **Stranger:** And I try a lot. SS

 **You:** you tend to sabotage yourself when you're trying - DH

 **You:** you get nervous - DH

 **Stranger:** Then I need to try not to try? SS

 **You:** don't think about it so hard - DH

 **You:** your mouth does all the work for you - DH

 **You:** you keep putting things in it when you aren't paying attention - DH

 **Stranger:** Oh. You like that? SS

 **You:** it's extremely distracting - DH

 **Stranger:** Then I should do it more. Especially during pack meetings. SS

 **You:** Please don't - DH

 **You:** The others haven't learnt to keep their noses to themselves - DH

 **You:** I'm trying to keep what little dignity I've got left - DH

 **Stranger:** Fuck. I wish I was a wolf. I wanna smell. SS

 **Stranger:** The big bad gorgeous alpha can't handle little old me sucking on a lollipop? SS

 **You:** jesus christ, Stiles - DH

 **You:** no, I can't - DH

 **Stranger:** Hmm. What about when I ate a banana on friday? SS

 **You:** that. - DH

 **You:** that was... - DH

 **You:** embarrassing - DH

 **Stranger:** I was looking for hot, but okay. SS

 **You:** embarrassing for me - DH

 **You:** you were hot - DH

 **You:** I was staring - DH

 **Stranger:** I though it was because you were jealous. I was half right. SS

 **Stranger:** You were jealous of the banana, not me having it. SS

 **You:** [delay]

 **You:** you are such an idiot - DH

 **You:** you seriously thought I was staring at you because I really wanted a banana? - DH

 **Stranger:** Well, yes. SS

 **Stranger:** I didn't think you were attracted to me. SS

 **You:** you're kind of extraordinarily oblivious - DH

 **Stranger:** Yeah. Well. SS

 **You:** and, uh, what you said earlier...me too - DH

 **Stranger:** I've said A LOT of things. To what are you referring? SS

 **You:** I'd like to date you, a lot. - DH

 **You:** I don't just think you're hot - DH

 **You:** I dream about you - DH

 **Stranger:** Well what do you think about me? SS

 **Stranger:** I wrote a lot. You should too. SS

 **You:** I'm not good with words - DH

 **Stranger:** Give it a shot, darling. SS

 **You:** You're...surprising. - DH

 **You:** Distractable, but clever. Oblivious, but insightful. - DH

 **You:** You're very loyal, very protective, very caring about the people that matter to you - DH

 **You:** You're ridiculous sometimes, and it's very endearing - DH

 **You:** You're persistent - even when everything's going to shit, you always insist we can make it - DH

 **You:** You're funny, sarcastic - DH

 **You:** You're enthusiastic, curious, excited by the possibilities of knowledge - DH

 **You:** You keep coming back for me - DH

 **Stranger:** I always will. SS

 **Stranger:** Sorry. I interrupted. SS

 **You:** You want me to keep telling you how amazing you are? - DH

 **Stranger:** I mean, I won't stop you. SS

 **You:** You made us a pack - DH

 **Stranger:** You made us a family. SS

 **You:** It was all you, Stiles - DH

 **You:** All I did was bite some people - DH

 **You:** And hope - DH

 **Stranger:** And a home and nachos and soda and love and hugs and fuck I love you. You're so amazing. SS

 **You:** You do? - DH

 **Stranger:** Well, yeah. No point in hiding it. SS

 **You:** Oh - DH

 **You:** Me too - DH

 **Stranger:** Yeah? SS

 **You:** yeah - DH

 **You:** Kind of a lot. - DH

 **Stranger:** Me too. SS

 **Stranger:** You're amazing. SS

 **You:** You said that already - DH

 **Stranger:** Well you are, smart ass. SS

 **You:** So are you - DH

 **Stranger:** At the rate we're going, we'll be engaged by next week. SS

 **You:** That might be a little fast - DH

 **Stranger:** Not that I'd complain. SS

 **You:** I think there are some things we should try out first - DH

 **Stranger:** Everything about our lives is fast. SS

 **Stranger:** But yes, of course. I agree. SS

 **You:** We should make sure we're sexually compatible, for example - DH

 **You:** It would be dreadfully stupid to get engaged without knowing that - DH

 **Stranger:** That's a thing we have to worry about? SS

 **You:** I feel like we should test it, just to be sure - DH

 **You:** I'm not worried - DH

 **Stranger:** Well now I am. SS

 **Stranger:** What if I'm not good enough? I'm not experienced at all. SS

 **You:** Experience is overrated - DH

 **You:** If we're both enjoying ourselves, then that's enough - DH

 **Stranger:** Well what if I suck at it? SS

 **You:** Then I'll teach you - DH

 **You:** Bad sex happens - DH

 **You:** It's not a big deal - DH

 **Stranger:** I don't want it to happen. SS

 **Stranger:** I don't want to let you down. SS

 **You:** Stiles, you aren't going to let me down - DH

 **Stranger:** I could. SS

 **You:** If you made yourself do something you didn't feel ready for, then yes, you could - DH

 **Stranger:** I could be tragically bad. SS

 **Stranger:** I could freak out and have to stop. SS

 **Stranger:** I could get too excited and hyperventilate. SS

 **You:** I once had a flashback in the middle of sex and wolfed out. I was very, very lucky my partner already knew about the supernatural - DH

 **Stranger:** I'm scared. SS

 **You:** That's okay - DH

 **You:** But nothing you do will make me not love you, Stiles - DH

 **You:** As long as neither of us are doing something we don't want to, and we're talking about things, then it'll be fine - DH

 **Stranger:** I love you so much. SS

 **Stranger:** You're so fucking good to me. SS

 **You:** I'm just trying to give you what you deserve - DH

 **Stranger:** I don't deserve this much. SS

 **You:** You really, really do - DH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my collaborator for Stiles and the prompt. Hope you enjoyed it!


	5. Don't You Dare Die On Me

**You:** So. Mates. Real thing, or internet thing? - SS

**Stranger:** Real thing. DH

**You:** Seriously? - SS

**You:** Wow - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. Why? - DH

**You:** Like, the whole predestined only one ever, or is it more flexible than that? - SS

**You:** Because the predestined only one ever sounds like it would /suck/ at least 95% of the time - SS

**You:** And I'm curious. That's why. - SS

**Stranger:** It's not predestined, no. It's almost like falling in love when humans meet 'the one' only it's a lot stronger for wolves and it's also for life. Humans have a tendency to fall in and out of love, but for werewolves it's a one and done kind of thing. DH

**Stranger:** There's a more visceral effect. DH

**You:** I suppose that's not as bad, then - SS

**You:** Like, Scott and Allison? - SS

**You:** Because he is /very/ insistent that they're forever - SS

**Stranger:** No, except the fact that if you're not with your mate you'll never truly be happy. DH

**You:** oooo, that sucks - SS

**Stranger:** I haven't figured out if Scott and Allison are mates or if it's just really bad puppy love. DH

**Stranger:** Not in a relationship anyways, for the happiness comment. DH

**You:** Huh - SS

**You:** Erica and Boyd, then? - SS

**Stranger:** They're mates for sure. DH

**You:** They're not loud about it, but they're just...really compatible - SS

**You:** Apart from the feels, is there any other stuff? - SS

**Stranger:** No, they're not. But even you can see the attraction between them. And then again, mates doesn't exactly mean romantic. It's a life long partnership, so it usually ends romantically or its easier that way. DH

**You:** Because the internet is weird about, like, awareness of each other's emotions and things - SS

**Stranger:** It's strong attraction to protect and to stay happy. To made the pack stronger and better. DH

**You:** Oh, cool. Non-romantic mates is awesome. Like queer-platonic partners? - SS

**Stranger:** Werewolves have that anyways, we can smell and feel emotions, but with a mate it's stronger. You can sense then when they're not near. You could be in Egpty and your mate could still feel you. DH

**Stranger:** I've seen a few like that in my travels, yes. DH

**You:** Do you know when you meet them, or does it develop out of a relationship later? - SS

**You:** Wait, I guess you answered that when you said it was like falling in love - SS

**Stranger:** I think it's different for each person. My mom said when she met my dad it was instant, like being hit by a mack truck. DH

**Stranger:** Love at first sight if you will. DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**You:** Does every wolf find a mate? Or want one? - SS

**You:** Do you? - SS

**Stranger:** I used to think that I had found and lost my mate... DH

**You:** Paige? - SS

**You:** What changed your mind? - SS

**Stranger:** They say when you lose your mate, that pain stays with you forever. It hurts and keeps you from finding happiness with anyone else. Then came Kate and Jennifer as I was more concinced, but losing her isn't the same as it used to be. I don't feel hurt, I just feel guilty that I did that to her. That and I've been finding happiness again. DH

**You:** Yeah? That's great - SS

**You:** I mean, it sucks about Paige, but it's good that you're happier - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. So maybe there is hope, although I surely doubt it. DH

**You:** Nooo, don't doubt it! - SS

**You:** You totally deserve good things! - SS

**You:** It'll work out - SS

**Stranger:** I don't think it will. It's rare, but it happens. DH

**You:** That it does work out, or it doesn't? - SS

**Stranger:** Besides, I have a whole pack to take care of and make sure they don't do stupid things. DH

**Stranger:** That it doesnt. DH

**You:** Yeah, well, don't forget we want to take care of you, too - SS

**You:** And seriously, that sucks. I'm sorry. - SS

**You:** I'd help if I could, but I'm guessing I can't - SS

**Stranger:** Sometimes mates are just so different that it doesn't work out. Scott and Allison for example. They shouldn't work out, but miraculously they do, if they are in fact mates. DH

**Stranger:** I don't need to be taken care of, but thank you. DH

**Stranger:** You help by being your annoying and over talkative self. DH

**You:** You totally do, dude - SS

**You:** You're always sacrificing yourself for people - SS

**You:** And wallowing in the depression of your tragic past - SS

**You:** You need people to hug you and tell you there's stuff worth living for - SS

**Stranger:** I'm not that huggable. DH

**You:** even more reason to hug you, then - SS

**You:** everyone needs hugs sometimes - SS

**Stranger:** You sound like a PBS kids show.DH

**Stranger:** Self sacrificing is what I do. DH

**You:** it's a stupid thing to do - SS

**Stranger:** In your opinion. DH

**Stranger:** I've never had my own pack to run, this feels like the way to do it. DH

**Stranger:** Even if it means not allowing myself to be with my mate. DH

**You:** Yeah? How would you feel if Isaac acted that way? Or Boyd? - SS

**Stranger:** That's not their place. DH

**You:** It shouldn't be anyone's place - SS

**You:** self-sacrifice is a viable emergency tactic - SS

**You:** not a goddamn long-term strategy - SS

**You:** What's going to happen if you can't heal fast enough, someday? - SS

**You:** You've come close before - SS

**Stranger:** Are you trying to give me Alpha lessons? DH

**You:** I'm trying to give you lessons on how to act when you're important to people - SS

**Stranger:** If that some day comes, then one of the Betas will take over and become the Alpha. It's how the circle of life works. DH

**You:** You aren't just the alpha - SS

**You:** You're our friend; to some of us, at least, you're family - SS

**You:** the circle of life has shit to do with grief - SS

**You:** I don't want to have to fucking mourn you, Derek Hale - SS

**Stranger:** I'm not saying is going to have to come to that, Stiles. Just that it might. We all live and die, some sooner than others. I've had everything taken from me and if I had to chance to save them by giving myself up, I would. DH

**You:** Fuck that - SS

**You:** Don't you /ever/ fucking give up - SS

**Stranger:** And you're right, to some of you. To others I haven't always been a great leader or teacher. DH

**You:** Fucking fight - SS

**You:** Yeah, well, I haven't always been a good friend, or a good son. Doesn't mean I can't fix it, if I /stick around/ to do it - SS

**Stranger:** It's not that simple. Nothing is that simple. Being an Alpha isn't simple, being a mate isn't that simple, nothing is. DH

**You:** No, it's not simple! - SS

**You:** Life's complicated, Derek! Which is why you can't approach it with that sort of simplistic, defeatist attitude! - SS

**Stranger:** I am here aren't I? I'm trying to rebuild my family's pack to protect Beacon Hills once again. I'm giving myself to these Betas without any training on how to do it. I'm ignoring my mate because it's so wrong on so many levels. Life is complicated and I'm still figuring this out as I go along. DH

**You:** You approach every damn battle like a zero-sum game, looking for someone to die for - SS

**You:** You're going so many wonderful things, but you don't seem to value /yourself/ at /all/ - SS

**Stranger:** That's a character flaw then. DH

**Stranger:** My character flaw. DH

**You:** Yeah, well, life's not Shakespeare - SS

**You:** If I have to tell you every goddamn day of your life that you matter, I'll do it - SS

**You:** But you need to learn it - SS

**You:** You're more than just a meat shield, a life you could save - SS

**Stranger:** You don't have to feel this fiercely about this. DH

**Stranger:** I'm not saying it always has to come down to that, but if it does. DH

**Stranger:** More of you would miss Scott over me, correct? Don't think for a second I wouldn't save even you...especially you. DH

**You:** If it does, then I expect you to be looking as hard as you can for any other possible way out - SS

**You:** And you don't get to tell me how to feel - SS

**You:** I fucking /care/ about you, okay, Sourwolf? - SS

**Stranger:** I know you do! - DH

**You:** All that circle of life bullshit, I'd never have guessed - SS

**Stranger:** God, Stiles. You're so easy to read. DH

**Stranger:** Yet also the hardest sometimes. DH

**Stranger:** I've got a simple mind. DH

**Stranger:** I don't want to keep fighting, I want this pack to grow. DH

**You:** Me too - SS

**Stranger:** I want to rebuild the Hale House on the preserve. I'm not willing to just die now and let it all be for nothing. DH

**Stranger:** I want to be happy too. DH

**You:** I want you to have that - SS

**You:** I just...it scares me, the way every time there's a fight, you come away with more wounds than everyone else - SS

**Stranger:** But I heal. DH

**You:** you don't...you never let the pack protect /you/ - SS

**Stranger:** We haven't figured out the correct fighting strategy yet and some of the Betas don't quite have a handle on their strength. DH

**Stranger:** Are we going to start arguing about this again? - DH

**You:** ...no - SS

**You:** I just...worry about you - SS

**Stranger:** I know. DH

**Stranger:** God, I know. DH

**You:** I mean, I get it - SS

**You:** I'd save you every time, if I could - SS

**You:** so it's kind of hypocritical for me to scold you for saving other people - SS

**Stranger:** Exactly. DH

**Stranger:** And you shouldn't ever do that, Stiles. I mean ever. DH

**Stranger:** This pack is here to protect the human and not to let them die. DH

**Stranger:** Especially not you. DH

**You:** I like to think I'm more to the pack than just "the human" - SS

**You:** I hate it when you try to exclude me from things because you think I'm fragile - SS

**You:** I want to help, where I can, however I can - SS

**Stranger:** You do help. You're great at research.DH

**Stranger:** I mean, you take care of the Betas too. You make sure they're safe and happy. DH

**You:** Oh, gee, thanks - SS

**You:** You know what that sounds like: A for Effort - SS

**Stranger:** You care the most. DH

**Stranger:** Humans are apart of packs. Human friends. Human mates. Honorary human werewolves. Whatever. DH

**You:** And /that/ sounds like you're trying to placate a four-year-old who wants to help but is only in the way - SS

**You:** I don't doubt that I'm part of the pack - SS

**Stranger:** I don't know what to tell you, Stiles. DH

**Stranger:** Everything I try to say just comes out wrong. DH

**Stranger:** You're pack like everyone else, but you're still human and I won't let anything hurt you again. dh

**You:** It's fine, Derek. Don't worry about it. Words are hard, sometimes. - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. DH

**You:** I just don't like that I'm...different, from you guys, I guess, sometimes - SS

**You:** I get why - SS

**You:** And I don't regret refusing the bite - SS

**Stranger:** You could always have it, that is if you wanted. DH

**You:** But I never don't hate being benched, just a little - SS

**Stranger:** Its your choice. DH

**You:** I don't know that I'd be a very good werewolf - SS

**You:** And I don't have a /reason/ like the others did, you know? - SS

**Stranger:** You should come to train with us then, more often . DH

**You:** Yeah? - SS

**Stranger:** I know, then there is the will it take hold or will it...kill you. Which would be my luck. DH

**Stranger:** I don't want to risk that. dh

**You:** That's part of it, too. I couldn't do that to Dad - SS

**Stranger:** Right, the Sheriff would hunt me down with wolfsbane or silver bullets. DH

**You:** He wouldn't. It wouldn't be your fault. - SS

**You:** He'd be too busy drinking himself to death, anyway - SS

**Stranger:** It would be, like Paige's was my fault. DH

**You:** That wasn't your fault, though - SS

**You:** Ennis, for biting her; Peter, for manipulating you - SS

**You:** But not yours - SS

**You:** And when I include Ennis, by the way, it's because the circumstances were /clearly/ dodgy - SS

**You:** He shouldn't have accepted her consent for the bite - SS

**Stranger:** It's what I wanted. I was being selfish at the time. I wanted it for me. DH

**Stranger:** And for her, but for us really. DH

**Stranger:** That's why it's my fault, that I can't be selfish. DH

**You:** Yeah, but you wanting it doesn't make it your fault - SS

**You:** Again - Peter's fault for putting ideas in your head; Ennis' for biting her even though her consent was dodgy - SS

**You:** You, what, you told her something you believed was true, that she needed to be a werewolf for you to be together? - SS

**You:** You made a /mistake/, Derek - SS

**Stranger:** And it cost her her life. DH

**Stranger:** I didn't protect her from either of them or myself. DH

**You:** You were /fifteen/ - SS

**You:** It wasn't your job to protect her - SS

**You:** It was your job to love her, and try to make her happy - SS

**You:** And you did the best you could - SS

**You:** And a couple of evil bastards turned you two into pawns in a goddamn power struggle - SS

**Stranger:** And now I'm getting close to 25 and won't make that mistake again. DH

**Stranger:** You're supposed to protect the ones you love more so than the others. DH

**You:** It's supposed to be give and take, but yeah - SS

**Stranger:** So... DH

**You:** I don't want the bite right now - SS

**You:** If it will save my life, in an emergency, you have my consent - SS

**Stranger:** You would risk it? - DH

**Stranger:** Even then. DH

**You:** Yes. - SS

**You:** I'm comfortable as a human, and I like it - SS

**You:** But given an 90% chance of death as a human and a 50% chance of death as a werewolf, I would accept the bite without qualms - SS

**You:** And if I were to die of bite rejection, the fault would be entirely mine - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. DH

**You:** Just like if I took an experimental drug, knowing the risks and side effects, and it hurt me - the blame lies with me for accepting it, not the pharmacist for dispensing it - SS

**Stranger:** But I'm saving this incase something ever happens.Dh

**You:** Good. Do that. - SS

**Stranger:** I'm not even going to argue with you. DH

**You:** Thank you for respecting my choice - SS

**Stranger:** But if you're dying, I will do anything to try and save you Dh

**Stranger:** I...I have to. DH

**You:** And...just so it's clear: you /always/ have the right not to bite me if you don't want to - SS

**You:** No matter what - SS

**Stranger:** If you want it, it's yours. But only in this case. DH

**You:** I can live with that - SS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my collaborator for a really awesome Derek. This one is a little unresolved, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway.


	6. I Do Believe In...You

**Stranger:** Dude. Why were you in my room? SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** Don't call me dude - DH

**Stranger:** I can call someone who invaded my sanctuary anything I freakin want, dude. SS

**You:** I wasn't /invading/ your /sanctuary/ - DH

**Stranger:** Oooh okay then. What do you call it? SS

**You:** I dropped by to talk to you - DH

**You:** You weren't there, so I waited - DH

**Stranger:** And you didn't think to text me or anything? SS

**You:** I figured you'd be back eventually - DH

**You:** It wasn't urgent - DH

**Stranger:** So what was it then? SS

**You:** ...I was wondering how Isaac's been doing in school - DH

**You:** The other two have parents to check on them, but he doesn't - DH

**You:** And he won't talk to me - DH

**You:** I figured you might know - DH

**Stranger:** .. He's okay. Slow in math and jumpy in phys ed but otherwise fine. SS

**You:** Thanks - DH

**You:** Does anyone else have math with him? - DH

**Stranger:** Nah, just me and Scott. SS

**Stranger:** I've offered to help him out, he should be okay. SS

**Stranger:** Don't worry so much. SS

**You:** It's my job to worry - DH

**You:** Alphas are supposed to care for the pack, not just protect it - DH

**You:** I'm responsible for them - DH

**Stranger:** Well, he's a good guy and he's got people watching his back for him, okay? SS

**Stranger:** Just don't do your Scott thing and hang around the fields. That's a no go. SS

**You:** How else am I supposed to keep you lot out of trouble? - DH

**Stranger:** Trust? SS

**You:** It's not that I don't trust you - DH

**You:** It's just...you might need me. I need to be there. - DH

**Stranger:** ..but? SS

**You:** It's just...you might need me. I need to be there. - DH

**You:** Just in case - DH

**Stranger:** Okay, I know I'm clumsy and prone to pushing big red buttons but that doesn't mean the other guys can't handle themselves? They're smart, sure you're the alpha, but I'm sure they're good just knowing you're gonna be there if they need you. Otherwise they're just trying to fit in and survive fucking high school. SS

**You:** I'm aware it's a little irrational - DH

**You:** I don't do it all the time - DH

**You:** Just sometimes - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, yeah, I know. I get it, man. My dad used to do it to me all the time after mom died. SS

**You:** I can't lose my pack again - DH

**You:** I just can't - DH

**Stranger:** And you're not going to. SS

**You:** Not if I can help it, anyway - DH

**Stranger:** Exactly. You're good, okay? You can be a bit of a jerk but otherwise you're a good guy. You don't have anything to worry about it. SS

**You:** You look after them, right? - DH

**You:** When I'm not there - DH

**Stranger:** Of course I do. I turn into fucking nana from Peter Pan. I fucking carry stuff in my mouth and walk on all fours I'm that good. SS

**You:** You're comparing /yourself/ to the dog for once? - DH

**Stranger:** What, nana? She was cool. SS

**You:** She wore a mob cap - DH

**You:** And she wasn't even there for most of it - DH

**Stranger:** She was a good dog! SS

**Stranger:** Stop crushing my favourite animal cartoon characters. SS

**You:** And again: your comparing /yourself/ to the dog? - DH

**Stranger:** Fuck you, Derek. You know exactly what I meant. SS

**You:** Are you sure about that? - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. SS

**Stranger:** I turn into a motherly figure even though I am just an adorable little dog who is adored by the audience yet forgotten about for the rest of the film because magic and mermaids and shit. SS

**You:** You aren't forgotten - DH

**Stranger:** Have you even seen Peter Pan? SS

**You:** Yes - DH

**You:** I'm not talking about Nana any more, I'm talking about you - DH

**You:** You aren't forgotten - DH

**Stranger:** Derek, c'mon. You've got to admit I'm not exactly part of the pack, right? I can't kick butt to save my life. SS

**Stranger:** I'm the fucking daphne of the group. SS

**You:** What? - DH

**You:** You are absolutely pack - DH

**Stranger:** Cartoon daphne, not kickass buffy daphne. SS

**You:** Why do you think that? - DH

**Stranger:** Cause it's true? SS

**You:** It's not - DH

**Stranger:** It is, but it's ok. SS

**You:** It's not okay, either - DH

**You:** You are pack, Stiles - DH

**You:** You have /always/ been pack - DH

**Stranger:** I don't deserve that. I'm just the bait. SS

**You:** No you fucking aren't - DH

**You:** Pack isn't about fighting, Stiles - DH

**You:** It's about family - DH

**You:** Even if you couldn't help us in a fight /ever/ - which is /patently/ not true - you would still be pack - DH

**Stranger:** I just don't feel like.. I should be. I'm just me. SS

**You:** And I'm just me, and Scott's just Scott, and Isaac's just Isaac... - DH

**Stranger:** I'm human. SS

**You:** So? - DH

**Stranger:** So I can't relate! I can't offer all kinds of werewolf knowledge that isn't dug up from old x files episodes. SS

**You:** Why on earth does that matter? - DH

**You:** I've never been human, does that mean I can't relate to the rest of you? - DH

**You:** It's an experience I'll never share - DH

**Stranger:** I don't know, Derek, okay? Jesus. I don't know. I just don't fit in. I appreciate it because it really feels fucking great when you say I'm a part of the pack, but you know me. I just wish I could be better for you. SS

**You:** Me too - DH

**You:** I wish I wasn't so broken, that I could be a better Alpha for you all - DH

**You:** Right now I really wish I'd made it clearer how important you are - DH

**You:** You're perfect as you are. You don't need to be better - DH

**Stranger:** I do, but thank you. SS

**Stranger:** Let's just. Let's just move on. SS

**You:** Okay - DH

**You:** Just... - DH

**You:** If you can't accept that you're pack, can you remember that /I/ think you're pack? - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, okay. Deal. Thank you. SS

**You:** It's how Mom helped me, after Paige - DH

**You:** I couldn't accept "not my fault", but I could believe "no one blames you" - DH

**Stranger:** It's hard. SS

**You:** I know - DH

**You:** There are plenty of things I hate about myself - DH

**You:** I don't think it would be easy, to try to change any of that - DH

**Stranger:** No, I know. It's nice to dream though. SS

**You:** Of liking myself, or being the kind of person I could like? - DH

**Stranger:** Whatever makes you feel better. SS

**Stranger:** Anyway, you don't need to worry about anything, okay? Your pack is good, you're good. SS

**You:** I'll believe that you believe it - DH

**Stranger:** I. Okay. SS

**You:** Yeah, I know - DH

**You:** It sucks to hear that someone doesn't believe in themself - DH

**Stranger:** Please. Just. Don't. SS

**Stranger:** Jesus Christ, it's only 1pm I can't get this emotional. SS

**You:** Sorry - DH

**You:** I didn't mean to belabor the point - DH

**You:** I'll leave it - DH

**Stranger:** No, it's okay. It's okay. SS

**You:** It's not if it bothers you - DH

**You:** I'm sorry - DH

**Stranger:** I'm good. I'm fine. I just got too lost in it. SS

**Stranger:** Don't be sorry. You have nothing to be sorry for. SS

**You:** You're saying you /didn't/ mind having this conversation? - DH

**Stranger:** Derek, just don't, okay? This conversation isn't your fault and my reaction isn't your fault. So don't be sorry. SS

**You:** Okay. - DH

**Stranger:** Please. SS

**You:** Just...thanks for looking after everyone for me - DH

**You:** It helps a lot, to know I can rely on you to do that - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, it's fine. I'm the Nana. SS

**Stranger:** Well. Yes. That's nice to hear. SS

**Stranger:** Definitely better than calling me an assbutt. SS

**You:** Would I do that? - DH

**Stranger:** Don't tell me you wouldn't be thinking it. SS

**You:** You come up with some very strange portmanteaus - DH

**Stranger:** I watch too much TV. SS

**You:** I'm not about to argue with that - DH

**Stranger:** Good, cause you'd be faced with my dads laughter. SS

**You:** I don't know how you find the time - DH

**Stranger:** You know that time when you should be sleeping? SS

**You:** Goddammit, Stiles - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah well that's where I find the time. SS

**Stranger:** I can't help it! SS

**You:** Really? - DH

**Stranger:** Well. I probably could. SS

**You:** So it's bad habits, not actual insomnia? - DH

**Stranger:** But a lot of times I just can't sleep so then I just. Watch stuff. SS

**You:** I can't say I don't understand the impulse - DH

**Stranger:** You sound like you're about to tell me off so I'm gonna go with habit? SS

**You:** You realize that's the option I would be /more/ critical of, right? - DH

**Stranger:** Uh. Insomnia? SS

**You:** Alright, let me put it this way: do you need more sleep than you're getting? -DH  
And is there any way I can help with that? - DH

**Stranger:** Is that code for knocking me out? Because no. SS

**Stranger:** No, seriously, Derek. I'm okay. I'm surviving and investing myself in good TV. I'm okay. SS

**Stranger:** Are youuu getting enough sleep? Because if you aren't, feel free to join me in watching TV. I'll probably bore you to sleep. SS

**You:** Good. - DH

**You:** And no, it's not code for knocking you out - DH

**You:** I meant...I don't know, letting you nap on my couch after pack meetings or something. Whatever - DH

**You:** And you never bore me - DH

**Stranger:** You'd let me nap on your couch? SS

**You:** Yes - DH

**You:** Whenever you needed - DH

**Stranger:** Oh my god. SS

**You:** What? - DH

**Stranger:** You'd let me nap on your couch. SS

**Stranger:** That's exciting to me. SS

**Stranger:** Naps are exciting, Derek. SS

**You:** Clearly you haven't been napping enough, then - DH

**Stranger:** That and I'm a senior at high school. I'm too busy stressing my eyes out to nap. SS

**Stranger:** I'm meant to be studying but noo. SS

**You:** Ah, high school - DH

**You:** Everyone gives up on that in college - DH

**You:** People nap everywhere - DH

**Stranger:** yeah but there's also the social nightmares of collage. I'm pretty sure cliques never go away. SS

**Stranger:** I guess I'll just nap away the worries on the grass somewhere. SS

**You:** Or on my couch - DH

**Stranger:** Yes, okay, on your couch. It better be comfy. SS

**You:** I'm sure it will stand up to your exacting standards - DH

**Stranger:** Are you sure? I have particularly high standards when it comes to sleeping/napping requirements. SS

**Stranger:** But then again I also have high standards about lemon curd and chocolate mousse. SS

**Stranger:** So I'm sure it'll be okay. I'll live. SS

**You:** I guess you'll have to test it out sometime and see - DH

**Stranger:** Well I have a test in ten minutes so I'll come after that and hide from the world. SS

**You:** You do that - DH

**You:** Good luck - DH

**Stranger:** Sigh. Thanks. SS

**Stranger:** And thanks for the talk. SS

**Stranger:** And, everything else. SS

**You:** You're welcome - DH

**You:** Anytime - DH

**Stranger:** Just warn me when you go poking around in my room next time. My underwear could've been everywhere. SS

**You:** So? - DH

**Stranger:** so you don't need to see my underwear everywhere. I have superman ones and its embarrassing. SS

**Stranger:** MOVING ON. I'll text you later, okay? I'll bring my laptop so we can watch some funny movie and then naps. SS

**You:** Sounds good - DH

**You:** I'll see you later, Stiles - DH

**Stranger:** Looking forward to it. SS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my collaborator for Stiles and the prompt. Hope you enjoyed it!


	7. No Competition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Highschool AU, close friends

**Stranger:** I can't come to your next game, sorry. -SS

**You:** Why not? - DH

**You:** Something came up? - DH

**Stranger:** I'm thoroughly traumatized by today's game. There were a few girls sitting right behind me, pretty sure they're the unofficial Derek Hale fanclub. -SS

**You:** Oh god - DH

**You:** What was it this time? - DH

**Stranger:** Trust me, you don't want to know. -SS

**Stranger:** Mostly it was just admiring every muscle in your body and your face, so that wasn't that bad. -SS

**You:** ...but? - DH

**Stranger:** ...basketball shorts are thin, and there's a lot of movement, and sometimes you can see the outline of something. -SS

**You:** goddammit - DH

**Stranger:** They talked about it for at least 20 minutes. -SS

**You:** jesus Christ - DH

**You:** You can't even actually see my junk, I'm wearing a cup - DH

**You:** One time getting accidentally kneed in the balls was one too many - DH

**Stranger:** I kinda snapped at them. I could tell them if you want me to. -SS

**You:** Aw, you defended my honour? - DH

**Stranger:** I kinda ended up ranting about how no one should focus that much on your dick unless you're undressing in front of them. -SS

**You:** You go on some pretty impressive rants - DH

**Stranger:** Heh, yeah. It happens. -SS

**Stranger:** They decided that I was jealous. Of what, I don't know. -SS

**You:** That /is/ a mystery - DH

**You:** You have as much chance of seeing me naked as they do - DH

**You:** More, really - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, locker room. -SS

**You:** Maybe they were thought you were jealous because they assumed I was straight? - DH

**Stranger:** ...you're not? -SS

**You:** um - DH

**You:** no - DH

**You:** ...is that a problem? - DH

**Stranger:** No, I'm just surprised, sorry. -SS

**You:** No, it's fine, I get it - DH

**You:** I don't talk about it - DH

**Stranger:** So... gay, bi, anything else? -SS

**You:** Bi, I guess - DH

**You:** I suppose I could be pan - DH

**Stranger:** Cool. More choice. -SS

**You:** I never really thought about it - DH

**You:** That's one way to think of it, I guess - DH

**Stranger:** Does your family know? -SS

**You:** Maybe? - DH

**You:** Like I said, I don't talk about it - DH

**You:** But I don't hide, either - DH

**Stranger:** Right. I mean, you don't have to talk about it, it's not like you need to make an announcement or anything. -SS

**You:** I'm kind of...in the closet with the door open, I guess - DH

**Stranger:** Makes sense. Not hiding it, but not shoving it into anyone's face either. -SS

**Stranger:** Basically like straight people.- SS

**You:** Pretty much - DH

**Stranger:** Am I attractive? -SS

**You:** Really? That's what you want to ask? - DH

**Stranger:** Sorry, just popped into my head. -SS

**Stranger:** Danny always just gives me that look when I ask, so. -SS

**You:** Of course he gives you that look - DH

**You:** You're obnoxious - DH

**Stranger:** Why? -SS

**You:** Stiles. Think about what you are actually asking him. - DH

**You:** Either you're assuming he represents all not-straight guys - DH

**You:** Or you're hitting on him - DH

**Stranger:** ...I'm not hitting on him, I just want his opinion. -SS

**You:** Uh-huh - DH

**Stranger:** So I'm not gonna get an answer from you. -SS

**You:** You're not bad - DH

**You:** Okay? - DH

**You:** You don't exactly dress to your advantage, but, as someone who is attracted to some guys, I can see why you'd appeal if you actually did - DH

**Stranger:** Thanks. -SS

**Stranger:** What do I need to change about my clothes? -SS

**You:** I'm not a fashion expert because I'm bi, just making that clear - DH

**Stranger:** I'm not basing this on your orientation. You clearly know what you're doing regarding clothes, so I trust you with that. -SS

**You:** Thanks, I guess - DH

**Stranger:** So, what's wrong with the way I dress? -SS

**You:** Nothing fits, for a start - DH

**Stranger:** What? That's not true. -SS

**You:** Whatever you're wearing right now, look in the mirror - DH

**You:** Can you tell that you have muscles? - DH

**Stranger:** Sleeves are long enough. -SS

**Stranger:** ...you want me to wear tighter clothes? -SS

**Stranger:** No, nope. -SS

**You:** You asked - DH

**Stranger:** I don't look like you. -SS

**You:** No, you look like you - DH

**Stranger:** Exactly my point. -SS

**Stranger:** And don't suggest tighter jeans. They're a myth. I have no idea where guys who can wear those put their dick without it being very, very obvious. -SS

**You:** That's half the point, you know - DH

**Stranger:** Noooo. -SS

**You:** Again: you asked - DH

**Stranger:** I know, I should have expected something that you can wear, fair point. -SS

**You:** That's not what I mean - DH

**You:** Again, you don't look like me, you look like you - DH

**Stranger:** I'm not as hot. -SS

**You:** You're fine - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, see. Fine. Kind of a 'meh'. Doesn't look horrible. -SS

**You:** That's not what I meant, jesus - DH

**You:** Look, you've got abs, you've got a nice ass, you've got long lean legs and broad shoulders - DH

**Stranger:** ...thank you. -SS

**You:** None of which anyone can see outside the locker room, because you always wear at least two shirts and baggy jeans - DH

**Stranger:** Wait, does that mean you've been looking? -SS

**You:** Oh, come on, like /you/ couldn't tell me /my/ better features - DH

**You:** I've known you forever, of course I noticed - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, because I'm curious as fuck and I've been looking. -SS

**You:** What do you mean? - DH

**Stranger:** Just... an inappropriate glance or two. Sorry. -SS

**You:** It's fine, it's not a big deal - DH

**Stranger:** Thanks. -SS

**You:** It's not like you've been following me around, staring at my ass - DH

**Stranger:** Hah, no. -SS

**You:** You're definitely a cut above the 'fan club' - DH

**Stranger:** That's at least something. -SS

**You:** It would be hard to be worse - DH

**Stranger:** I mean, perving on you in the locker room is bad. -SS

**You:** Were you actually ogling me? - DH

**Stranger:** No, nope. Only glances. -SS

**You:** Then it's no big deal - DH

**You:** I've glanced at a guy or two - DH

**Stranger:** In the locker room? Who? -SS

**You:** Nope. Not telling. - DH

**Stranger:** I told you too. -SS

**Stranger:** Come on. -SS

**Stranger:** Danny? Jackson? -SS

**You:** ...yes - DH

**You:** Jackson's a douche, but he's pretty anyway - DH

**Stranger:** Anyone else? -SS

**You:** Well, you, obviously - DH

**Stranger:** Obviously? -SS

**You:** See: our earlier conversation about your better features - DH

**Stranger:** Was I in my underwear or naked? -SS

**You:** ...you might have been naked once or twice - DH

**Stranger:** Did you like it? -SS

**You:** If I didn't like it, why would I have looked? - DH

**Stranger:** Right. -SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** Stiles?

**You:** Does it...bother you? - DH

**Stranger:** No, not at all. -SS

**You:** Sorry, I should...I'll stop - DH

**Stranger:** Why? -SS

**You:** It's weird, with us being friends - DH

**Stranger:** I don't mind. -SS

**You:** Really? - DH

**Stranger:** Not at all. -SS

**You:** Also, by the way...were you planning to ever actually /say/ you were...gay? bi? - DH

**You:** I'd be a hypocrite if I said you had to come out - DH

**You:** But you've never been exactly clear about it - DH

**Stranger:** I don't even know for sure, I mean, I've never done stuff with a guy. -SS

**You:** Your orientation has nothing to do with your behaviour - DH

**You:** And I'm not saying you can't be questioning or whatever - DH

**You:** But seriously - DH

**You:** If you think guys are hot and you want to do stuff with them, you're not straight - DH

**Stranger:** ...I think you are hot. -SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** Stiles, are you... - DH

**Stranger:** I'm sorry. -SS

**Stranger:** I should go. -SS

**You:** No, wait - DH

**You:** Don't - DH

**Stranger:** I shouldn't have said that. -SS

**You:** No, it's just...I didn't realize? - DH

**Stranger:** No clue what you're talking about. -SS

**You:** That you actually, y'know...were attracted to me - DH

**Stranger:** I'm sorry. -SS

**You:** Stop apologizing - DH

**You:** You're not supposed to apologise for how you feel - DH

**Stranger:** Still. We're friends. -SS

**You:** Yeah, but it's not like you're some Nice Guy, or whatever - DH

**You:** You haven't been bothering me - DH

**You:** It's fine - DH

**Stranger:** And I won't. -SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** um - DH

**You:** I had a thought - DH

**Stranger:** What thought? -SS

**You:** You, uh, said you hadn't done stuff with a guy... - DH

**You:** Would you like to? - DH

**Stranger:** Obviously. -SS

**You:** I meant, um, with me - DH

**Stranger:** With you. -SS

**Stranger:** What stuff are you suggesting? -SS

**You:** Um. Kissing? - DH

**You:** Maybe some making out? - DH

**You:** I don't know - DH

**Stranger:** Why? -SS

**You:** Because...you're my friend and you're hot and you think I'm hot and I like you and it might be fun? - DH

**You:** It's not like I've got any experience to compare it with, not really - DH

I...that would be awesome - SS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my collaborator for Stiles and the prompt. Hope you enjoyed it!


	8. Getting Older

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Married with kids AU! Stiles is 31 and Derek is 39. Derek feels old now that he's about to turn 40.

 

**Stranger:** So the kids are gone at Scott's tonight...-SS

**You:** Yeah? - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. Yes they are. More time for us. SS

**You:** It'll be nice to have some quiet - DH

**Stranger:** And some not so quiet time? SS

**You:** If you want - DH

**Stranger:** We can bring in your birthday at 12 pm with a bang haha. SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** Sure - DH

**Stranger:** You seem really unexcited. SS

**You:** I'm not. - DH  
Particularly excited, that is, about my birthday - DH

**Stranger:** Why? SS

**You:** At a certain point, being a year older stops being worth celebrating - DH

**Stranger:** It's the big 40 isn't it? SS

**You:** Yes - DH

**Stranger:** Don't be nervous Der. SS

**You:** What? - DH

**Stranger:** about your birthday. SS

**You:** What do you mean? - DH

**Stranger:** You're nervous abut turning 40 aren't you? SS

**You:** Nervous isn't the word I'd use - DH

**Stranger:** What then? SS

**You:** It's just...unpleasant - DH

**Stranger:** Why? SS

**You:** I feel older than you right now more than I have in a decade - DH

**Stranger:** You're still the same person. SS

**You:** Yeah - DH

**You:** The birthday just makes it obvious - DH

**Stranger:** You don't have to feel this way. SS

**You:** What do you mean? - DH

**Stranger:** It's only a nine year difference. SS

**Stranger:** That makes it sound worse. SS

**Stranger:** Look, I still love you no matter how much older you are. SS

**You:** It's almost a quarter of my age, the gap between us. - DH

**You:** A third of yours - DH

**Stranger:** So? Who cares? SS

**You:** I feel like I /should/ care - DH

**Stranger:** Why though? SS

**You:** Because you're still young and beautiful, and I'm getting old - DH

**You:** And it will always be that way, to me - DH

**Stranger:** A few stray greys aren't enough to put me of Derek. Besides, I'm looking my age. SS

**You:** Like I said, young and beautiful - DH

**Stranger:** I'm getting crows feet. SS

**You:** They're just smiles - DH

**You:** The memory of them - DH

**Stranger:** Just look in the mirror. If you feel old, remember, that body of yours isn't. SS

**You:** I can always see and feel the ways that it is - DH

**Stranger:** How about I show you how much I still love you? SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** I love you, Stiles - DH

**Stranger:** I love you more. SS

**You:** Should I copy Jamie's favourite book? - DH

**You:** And say 'I love you most'? - DH

**Stranger:** There it is. I was hoping you'd get it. SS

**You:** Tangled has ruined that phrase - DH

**You:** Now it's going to be associated forever in my head with weird abusive relationships - DH

**Stranger:** See. Making jokes based on pop culture. Not old. SS

**You:** I don't think movies I've seen because of my kids count - DH

**You:** But...thanks, Stiles - DH

**Stranger:** Don't worry about it Der. SS

**You:** I'm pretty sure you didn't want to spend my birthday coddling me through an early mid-life crisis - DH

**Stranger:** Meh. I'm just glad we're getting it out of the way early. SS

**You:** I suppose that's one way to look at it - DH

**You:** I can't promise it won't come back, though - DH

**Stranger:** We'll get over it when it comes. SS

**You:** Thanks, Stiles - DH

**You:** Now...you said you had plans? - DH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my collaborator for Stiles and the prompt. Hope you enjoyed it!


	9. Coping

**Stranger:** So usually I'd ask Scott but he's not here so I was wondering if I could stay at yours tonight. I promise I'll be quiet and I'll be gone before you wake up. -SS

**You:** Yes. Why? - DH

**Stranger:** Wait, really? -SS

**You:** Yes really - DH

**You:** You're pack, Stiles - DH

**You:** I won't turn you away - DH

**Stranger:** [Delayed] I didn't know you thought of me as pack. -SS

**You:** Of course I do - DH

**Stranger:** Oh. Alright then. -SS

**You:** We protect each other - DH

**You:** That's at the heart of what pack is - DH

**Stranger:** I guess. I mean, Scott always tells me I am but I figured he was the only one who thought that. -SS

**You:** Pack with humans is different to pack with wolves - DH

**Stranger:** Never really thought humans could be in a pack to be honest. -SS

**You:** Shifter inheritance isn't always straightforward - DH

**You:** And not all wolves mate other wolves - DH

**You:** Do you think my father, or my little brother, were any less pack because of their species? - DH

**Stranger:** Of course not. But that's different. -SS

**Stranger:** They're family. -SS

**You:** Is Scott not your family? - DH

**Stranger:** He's my brother. Not by blood though. -SS

**You:** Family isn't about blood - DH

**You:** You've been Scott's brother for years, so you've always been his pack - DH

**Stranger:** I guess so. -SS

**You:** It's more complicated in a pack like ours - DH

**You:** Everyone has their own human pack - DH

**You:** Like Scott has you, his mother, your father, and Allison - DH

**Stranger:** What about you? -SS

**You:** My pack died - DH

**Stranger:** You have us now though. -SS

**You:** Yes - DH

**You:** But aside from the wolves, you're the only one I've really connected with - DH

**Stranger:** Is that enough? -SS

**You:** For me or for you? - DH

**Stranger:** For you? -SS

**You:** I coped with just Laura for a long time - DH

**Stranger:** Coping isn't the same thing. -SS

**You:** Five wolves and you is plenty - DH

**You:** I've never had a lot of friends outside my pack - DH

**You:** It's fine - DH

**Stranger:** You'd tell us if you needed something though? -SS

**You:** Probably - DH

**You:** I'm not great at asking for things - DH

**Stranger:** I know. -SS

**Stranger:** But we would want to help. -SS

**Stranger:** With anything. -SS

**You:** Thanks - DH

**You:** Also, the fact that you said that? - DH

**You:** That's what I meant, earlier - DH

**You:** About not turning pack away - DH

**You:** And you being pack - DH

**Stranger:** [Delayed] It's the anniversary of my moms death. -SS

**Stranger:** I don't like being at home because I hate seeing my dad like that. -SS

**Stranger:** So I always try to spend the night away. -SS

**You:** I understand - DH

**You:** Does he know that's why you leave? - DH

**Stranger:** I don't know. We don't talk about it. -SS

**You:** You should think about it - DH

**You:** I don't know how much I would have talked to Laura about the fire if the moon hadn't forced us to deal with our emotions a bit, but it helped, once we did - DH

**Stranger:** He drinks. If I stay we argue and it just hurts more, for both of us. -SS

**You:** I'm sorry - DH

**Stranger:** Don't be. It's pretty routine by now. -SS

**You:** Apart from a place to stay, is there anything I can do? - DH

**Stranger:** If you want to help me get really really drunk then sure. -SS

**You:** I don't particularly /like/ the idea - DH

**You:** But I've done worse things because of grief - DH

**Stranger:** It's what me and Scott always do. I get all sorts of messed up emotional if I don't. It freaks him out. -SS

**You:** It wouldn't freak me out - DH

**Stranger:** [Delayed] It might. -SS

**You:** Why? - DH

**You:** Do you think there's any kind of messed up emotion I haven't seen before? - DH

**Stranger:** That's not the point. -SS

**Stranger:** It's me. I don't do that. -SS

**You:** Don't what? - DH

**You:** Feel? Grieve? Rage? - DH

**Stranger:** Fall apart like that. -SS

**You:** You think it's easy for me to fall apart, either? - DH

**You:** We both put on facades - DH

**Stranger:** That's not the same thing. -SS

**Stranger:** You're a wolf okay? Nobody is going to think you're weak because of it. -SS

**You:** You think the pack wouldn't be shocked if they saw me crying? - DH

**Stranger:** I wouldn't be. -SS

**You:** You know me better than they do - DH

**Stranger:** That's not true. I hardly know you at all. -SS

**You:** You still know me better than they do - DH

**You:** And you know the important things - DH

**Stranger:** [Delayed] I didn't speak for a whole year after she died. Do you know what people do when they find that out? -SS

**You:** They don't believe you - DH

**You:** They joke, to cover how uncomfortable they are - DH

**Stranger:** They laugh. Because imagine me being quiet for a whole five minutes, let alone a year. -SS

**You:** I can imagine it - DH

**You:** You use your words like I use my silence - DH

**Stranger:** I'm afraid if I stop talking I'll forget how to again. -SS

**You:** Some days, I'm afraid if I start talking, I won't know how to stop - DH

**Stranger:** At least yours isn't annoying. -SS

**You:** It didn't frustrate you? - DH

**Stranger:** A bit, yeah. -SS

**You:** And I don't know if it's any better, that I scare people because of my coping methods - DH

**Stranger:** But only because I'm nosy as hell. -SS

**You:** Being intimidating keeps people at a distance as much as being annoying does - DH

**Stranger:** You're not intimidating. -SS

**Stranger:** Not in the way you think anyway. -SS

**You:** You know me now - DH

**You:** I know what sort of impression I make - I can hear the whispering - DH

**Stranger:** You never scared me though, not really. -SS

**You:** You're special - DH

**Stranger:** You only make that impression because you want to. -SS

**Stranger:** Not particularly. But thanks I guess. -SS

**You:** I make it because it's habit, and it's easy, and I don't know who I'd be if I didn't - DH

**Stranger:** You'd be a big nerd who doesn't smile often enough and likes hugs. -SS

**You:** The last time I was that person, it didn't end well - DH

**Stranger:** The person responsible for that isn't here this time -SS

**You:** Still. I don't want to be...vulnerable like that again - DH

**Stranger:** What about being happy? -SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** I don't know - DH

**Stranger:** You deserve to be happy. To be yourself. -SS

**Stranger:** You know we wouldn't let anything happen to you. -SS

**You:** That's what my mother said after Paige died, you know - DH

**Stranger:** She was right. -SS

**Stranger:** You didn't do anything wrong, that was Kate. -SS

**Stranger:** I think your family would want you to be happy. -SS

**Stranger:** And I also think tht would be the biggest fuck you you could ever give to her. -SS

**You:** I don't really know how - DH

**Stranger:** That's okay, you have time. -SS

**Stranger:** And help if you want it. -SS

**You:** I'm trying, you know - DH

**Stranger:** I know. That's a good thing. -SS

**You:** I wouldn't have, if it wasn't for you - DH

**Stranger:** Well then I'm glad I stuck around. -SS

**You:** You did more than that - you came back - DH

**Stranger:** I never went anywhere. -SS

**You:** You did. Your home, your family, your life. And you came back for me anyway - DH

**Stranger:** Well yeah. You're a part of that, I couldn't leave you behind. -SS

**You:** Thank you - DH

**You:** I know I'm not good at saying so, but I am grateful - DH

**Stranger:** You don't need to say it. -SS

**Stranger:** I mean. I know you might not like it but I can read you pretty well these days. -SS

**You:** You deserve to hear it, properly - DH

**You:** People don't thank you often enough - DH

**Stranger:** I don't do much. -SS

**Stranger:** And what I do, I don't do it for that. -SS

**You:** Even more reason to say it - DH

**You:** And you do a lot - DH

**Stranger:** I research and get myself into trouble. -SS

**Stranger:** That's about it. -SS

**You:** You look after us - DH

**Stranger:** Someone has to. -SS

**You:** Yeah - DH

**You:** We're pretty useless - DH

**Stranger:** Hey, you're wonderful. You just need to get used to each other properly, that's all. -SS

**Stranger:** And remember to feed yourselves and get enough sleep. -SS

**Stranger:** And express your emotions in a healthy way. -SS

**You:** Who looks after you? - DH

**Stranger:** I do. -SS

**Stranger:** Occasionally Melissa makes me soup. -SS

**You:** We should look after you more - DH

**Stranger:** I'm fine. I'm happy looking after you lot. -SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** Just...don't ignore what you need to look after us, ever, please? - DH

**You:** I know you've done it before - DH

**Stranger:** I don't need anything. Except sleep and food. Maybe coffee. -SS

**Stranger:** I haven't. -SS

**You:** The last fight with the kanima? - DH

**Stranger:** What about it? -SS

**You:** You were hurt, when you showed up - DH

**You:** Emotionally, too, I think - DH

**You:** You never told me why, but I did notice - DH

**Stranger:** Like you wouldn't have done the same. -SS

**Stranger:** I'm not sitting out because I'm human. -SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** Fine. We're both unhealthily committed to looking after the pack without regard for our own welfare - DH

**Stranger:** I can handle myself Derek. I always manage. -SS

**You:** You told me that coping wasn't good enough - DH

**Stranger:** I'm not dead yet so I must be doing something right. -SS

**Stranger:** I haven't got room for much more than that. Coping suits me fine. -SS

**You:** I guess we'll both just cope, then - DH

**You:** And I'm hoping you won't be dead for a very long time - DH

**You:** /That/, I couldn't cope with - DH

**Stranger:** I'm sure you'd manage. You could even have my jeep. -SS

**Stranger:** You need more than coping, it's not good for you. -SS

**You:** Please don't joke about it, Stiles - DH

**You:** I really couldn't - DH

**Stranger:** I'm fine, okay? Very much not dead. Which is unfortunate as I need an excuse to get out of the chem test I haven't studied for. -SS

**Stranger:** Besides, I'm stubborn. I doubt you could get rid of me if you tried. -SS

**You:** I wouldn't ever try - DH

**Stranger:** I'll hold you to that. -SS

**You:** Good - DH

**Stranger:** Every time you complain about me. -SS

**Stranger:** I'll bring it up. -SS

**You:** As if you never complain about Scott. - DH

**You:** My sisters used to annoy the hell out of me - DH

**You:** Complaining is an essential part of the relationship - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah but Scott tells me all the details of his sex life, it's warranted complaining. -SS

**Stranger:** I've heard siblings are like that. -SS

**Stranger:** I'm still gonna bring it up because I'm an annoying asshole like that. -SS

**You:** And I'm still going to complain - DH

**Stranger:** Because you're adorably grumpy. -SS

**You:** I'm not adorable - DH

**You:** I'll see you tonight, Stiles - DH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my collaborator for Stiles and the prompt. Hope you enjoyed it!


	10. Failure to Communicate

**Stranger:**  I love you, you know? SS

**You:**  I'd hoped - DH

**Stranger:**  Funny. SS

**Stranger:**  And you love me too, right? SS

**You:**  Yes, Stiles, I love you - DH

**Stranger:**  Good. That's good... SS

**Stranger:**  You love me and you wouldn't get angry with me. SS

**You:**  Stiles... - DH

**You:**  What did you do? - DH

**Stranger:**  Nothing. SS

**Stranger:**  I got this...thing. And you said no to this already, but still... SS

**You:**  Which of the many things I've said no to is it? - DH

**Stranger:**  But you love me.. SS

**You:**  Yes - DH

**You:**  Love is not incompatible with me refusing you - DH

**You:**  Or getting angry at you - DH

**Stranger:**  It's just little spells, it's not even serious magic or anything.. SS

**You:**  Stiles. - DH

**You:**  I had a /reason/ for asking you not to do magic - DH

**Stranger:**  Deston found some spellbooks and I tried some and they're really good. SS

**Stranger:**  You're not taking them away. SS

**You:**  They're your things, Stiles - DH

**You:**  I can't just take them away - DH

**Stranger:**  :) SS

**You:**  That's basic respect - DH

**Stranger:**  I basic respect you, too, big guy. SS

**You:**  But I /will/ continue to argue about this with you - DH

**You:**  And no, actually, I think basic respect means not hiding something from me that you know I have strong opinions about - DH

**Stranger:**  I told you about it, didn't I. SS

**You:**  Now - DH

**Stranger:**  Yeah, well. SS

**You:**  Just...why? - DH

**You:**  Why the magic, and why hide it? - DH

**Stranger:**  I don't exactly have an excuse for the bruise on my side and back. SS

**You:**  The what? - DH

**You:**  Stiles! - DH

**Stranger:**  I like it. And I can do it. SS

**Stranger:**  It's not that bad.. SS

**You:**  But you have a bruise on your side and back from practicing? - DH

**You:**  Everything has a cost, Stiles - DH

**You:**  The cost of magic is hard to pin down, and hard to prepare for - DH

**Stranger:**  There was a shield charm. I just did it wrong a few times.. SS

**Stranger:**  But it's the only thing I can do! SS

**You:**  So you haven't been hiding from me for months, then? - DH

**Stranger:**  If I can protect myself you won't force me to stay home every month.. SS

**Stranger:**  ...You weren't allowed to get angry. SS

**You:**  I never said that - DH

**You:**  I said I love you - DH

**Stranger:**  I love you too. SS

**You:**  That means you scare me more when you pull this shit - DH

**You:**  Please don't - DH

**Stranger:**  I'm fine, really. And I can do it now, I tried with Scott and Isaac. If I actuslly manage the shield, they can't come near me! SS

**You:**  You told /them/ before you told me? - DH

**Stranger:**  Der.. SS

**You:**  Stiles - DH

**Stranger:**  Well I wasn't exactly scared to tell them. SS

**You:**  Fuck - DH

**You:**  I scare you? - DH

**Stranger:**  I like how you ignored the 'i did it' part and the only problem is your betas knowing before you. SS

**Stranger:**  Well, just. I mean I know you wouldn't hurt me, but.. SS

**You:**  It's not the only problem - DH

**You:**  It's one of the most important ones - DH

**Stranger:**  Mhm. SS

**You:**  You've shown you don't trust my judgement; don't trust me to listen to you; trust me, your partner, less than your friends when you're trying out something new; and you find me intimidating enough to want not to talk to me - DH

**You:**  Forgive me if I'm concerned - DH

**Stranger:**  You really know how to make me feel guilty, hm? SS

**You:**  It's not about making you feel guilty - DH

**You:**  It's about fixing problems in our relationship I didn't even know were there - DH

**Stranger:**  Problems I create, yeah. SS

**You:**  No - DH

**Stranger:**  I'm sorry. SS

**You:**  I have my part in all of them - DH

**You:**  Thank you - DH

**Stranger:**  Yeah. SS

**You:**  It's...well, it's not okay, but just.../talk/ to me next time - DH 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my collaborator for Stiles and the prompt. Hope you enjoyed it!


	11. The Truth According to Google

Are you planning on killing me? -SS

 

What? - DH

No - DH

Not at the moment, anyway - DH

 

Cos you keep on staring at me with like, /intent/ -SS

Which I can only take as intent to maim and kill or seriously injure. -SS

 

[delay]

Oh. Sorry. - DH

No. I'm not planning to kill you - DH

 

Maim? Seriously injure? -SS

 

No, and no - DH

I'm not going to hurt you, Stiles - DH

 

Just intimidate me from afar till I keel over from a heart attack? -SS

 

Not that, either - DH

 

Then what? -SS

 

[delay]

It's not important - DH

 

It totally is. -SS

 

I'll stop - DH

I didn't realise you'd noticed, or it was bothering you - DH

 

Now you've made me curious. -SS

 

jesus christ - DH

 

Google has many interesting answers....-SS

 

what. - DH

no. - DH

 

Don't worry, I know it doesn't apply in this situation. -SS

You being into me is too out there to even consider. -SS

 

[delay]

[delay]

 

Right? -SS

 

[delay]

 

This is the part where you go 'HahahHAhahaha of course not you silly human.' -SS

Derek......-SS

 

...I can't actually say that - DH

 

You totally can, if it's true. -SS

 

But it's not - DH

 

Huh? -SS

Are you saying you're into me? -SS

 

That sounds so juvenile - DH

 

How would you phrase it then? -SS

 

I...you captivate me. Distract me. - DH

 

Wow, my way does sound juvenile. -SS

I like your one better. -SS

 

You...don't mind? - DH

 

No, I don't mind. -SS

If anything, I'm flattered. -SS

 

I...good - DH

 

You now realise I'm going to now be patiently waiting for you to ask me out? -SS

 

[delay]

 

No pressure though. -SS

 

You want that? - DH

 

Do plants want to photosynthesise? -SS

Of course I want you too. -SS

 

I...didn't know - DH

 

We should get to know each other better. Ergo, dates. -SS

 

I'd really like that - DH

 

I would too. -SS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my co-author for Stiles and the prompt. Hope you enjoyed it!


	12. A Hint

I'm going to kill Scott - SS

 

Oh?-DH

 

He blew me off to go out with Allison again - SS

 

Does this happen often?-DH

 

Only about once or twice a week - SS

 

Ouch.-DH

 

Yeah - SS

 

Maybe you should find yourself a date then.-DH

 

Yeah, that's never going to happen - SS

 

I'm sure it will.-DH

 

Nah, not going to happen - SS

It's fine - SS

I'm resigned to it - SS

 

Fair enough.-DH

 

I'm not exactly a catch - SS

 

Bullshit.-Dh

 

What? - SS

 

You heard.-DH

 

I'm not! - SS

 

I think you are.-DH

 

[delay]

...you do? - SS

 

I do.-DH

 

Really? - SS

 

Yeah. You are.-DH

 

Are you...is that just an objective assessment? - SS

 

No necessarily, no.-DH

 

Holy shit - SS

 

Surprise?-DH

 

I am definitely surprised - SS

 

I wasn't trying to let you know.DH

 

Why not? - SS

 

No real reason. Just didn't feel right just yet.-DH

 

Yet? - SS

 

Yeah, yet.-DH

 

But...you were planning to - SS

Eventually, I mean? - SS

 

I was. One day.-DH

Yeah.-DH

 

If I wasn't so excited I'd be kind of pissed at you, you know - SS

 

I kind of deserve it.-DH

 

Well, kind of - SS

 

I just thought I'd wait for things to be less. Well. Less.-DH

 

Crazy? - SS

 

Yeah. That.-DH

 

I guess it's kind of understandable - SS

You couldn't have hinted? - SS

 

I could have.-DH

Consider this a hint.-DH

 

You've got me there - SS

So you want to, what, date me? - SS

 

I would, yes.-DH

 

I'd really, really, really like that - SS

 

Yeah, so would I.-DH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my co-author for Derek. Hope you liked it!


	13. Trial Run

**Stranger:** So I've gotta take care of this doll for school. You're her godfather. -SS

**You:** Are you serious right now? - DH

**Stranger:** Completely. -SS

**You:** Why on earth does a doll need a godfather? - DH

**Stranger:** Because Scott's already her mom. -SS

**You:** ...of course he is - DH

**Stranger:** So you're Godfather. Her name is Padme. -SS

**You:** Scott doesn't have a clue why you picked that name, does he? - DH

**Stranger:** Not at all and I wanted to throttle him. -SS

**You:** If you haven't won that one by now, you never will - DH

**Stranger:** One of these days I'm going to tie him down and make him watch those movies. -SS

**You:** I'm pretty sure the day you start making plans, Allison will ask to watch them and thwart you - DH

**Stranger:** I love her, but I hate her too. -SS

**You:** It's understandable - DH

**Stranger:** Scott doesn't take our parenthood seriously, by the way. -SS

**You:** As in he doesn't think Padme needs godparents? - DH

**Stranger:** As in he doesn't care about the project. I mean, I know it's sort of stupid but...-SS

**You:** But you want to do it well - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. I...I want a big family eventually. Like...it feels like if I do this well then it's proof I can handle it. -SS

**You:** Yeah? - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. So Padme is gonna' prove I can do it. -SS

**You:** How's it going so far? - DH

**Stranger:** I've been called crazy a few times and Scott left her in his backpack. -SS

**You:** Right - DH

**You:** You know, most real parents learn on the job - DH

**Stranger:** Well, yeah. I mean, a real kid is different from a doll. -SS

**You:** I'm just saying, it's okay if you fuck up - DH

**You:** Or if Scott fucks it up for you - DH

**Stranger:** Did you ever do this whole baby simulation thing in school? -SS

**You:** I think it was set for the semester after we had to leave - DH

**Stranger:** Oh. Sorry, uh...I didn't...-SS

**You:** It's fine - DH

**Stranger:** Do you want a big family? -SS

**You:** I haven't thought about having a family in a long time - DH

**Stranger:** You'd be a good dad. I've seen you with your neighbor's kid. -SS

**You:** ...thanks - DH

**Stranger:** I'm sorry I upset you didn't I oh shit I didn't mean to. -SS

**You:** It's fine - DH

**Stranger:** No it's not why did I upset you what did I do and how do I avoid it. -SS

**You:** Stiles, it's /fine/ - DH

**Stranger:** I feel like an asshole. -SS

**You:** For talking about family? - DH

**You:** Stiles, if we avoided talking about everything I might have issues about, we'd never talk - DH

**Stranger:** I just...I don't want to trigger you. -SS

**You:** You didn't /trigger/ me - DH

**You:** It's just...hard - DH

**Stranger:** I know. I'm sorry. I just...-SS

**Stranger:** I know nothing I've got is as bad but I know how bad it can get. -SS

**You:** I know you do - DH

**You:** And I appreciate that you try to...look after me, I suppose - DH

**Stranger:** I sort of want to wrap you up in a fleecy blanket right out of the dryer. That's what mom used to do for me when I was upset. -SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** You'll be a really good dad, someday - DH

**Stranger:** I....what? -SS

**You:** You're good at taking care of people - DH

**Stranger:** I...guess. I try to take care of people I care about. I...there were times where I was willing to let random people die. -SS

**You:** You have to protect yourself, when you care that much - DH

**You:** No-one has enough heart to care like that about everyone - DH

**You:** Not even you - DH

**Stranger:** I...haven't talked about mom to anyone but Scott or dad in a long time. -SS

**Stranger:** When she wrapped me up like that she'd call me her snuggle bug. -SS

**You:** I bet you were cute - DH

**Stranger:** I was adorable. Except I had really big ears. -SS

**You:** On a cute kid, ear size is negotiable - DH

**Stranger:** I remember this one time some kid at the library called me Dumbo and another guy hit him with a book. -SS

**You:** Seems like a reasonable response - DH

**Stranger:** I miss my mom. -SS

**You:** I'm sorry - DH

**You:** I'm sorry I've got nothing better to say, too - DH

**Stranger:** I feel like I don't have the right to say something like that to you. -SS

**You:** My grief doesn't make yours hurt any less - DH

**Stranger:** I guess. -SS

**Stranger:** I used to have a fox onesie. Ironic, huh? But, like...mom would put it in the dryer for me before bed. I liked warm things. -sS

**You:** You get cold hands, sometimes - DH

**Stranger:** I do? -SS

**Stranger:** Did you ever have bed time rituals? -SS

**You:** When I was really little, Mom taught me to flash my eyes to scare the monsters under the bed - DH

**Stranger:** Baby Derek scaring away the monsters. Oh my god. -SS

**You:** It worked. - DH

**Stranger:** Baby Derek doing anything sounds adorable. -SS

**You:** That's the thing about babies. And children. - DH

**You:** They tend to be cute. It's a defense mechanism - DH

**Stranger:** I bet you liked to climb things. -SS

**You:** And fall off them - DH

**You:** Laura fell off the roof, once - DH

**You:** No-one could figure out how she got there - DH

**Stranger:** Oh geez. Was she okay? -SS

**You:** Werewolf - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah but still. A roof. -SS

**Stranger:** I hate falling off my bed. -SS

**You:** Oh, she broke bones - DH

**You:** Cried a lot over the next few hours while she healed - DH

**You:** Mom pulled most of the pain, though, so it wasn't too bad - DH

**Stranger:** That sucks. -SS

**Stranger:** I fell out of a tree when I was ten. -SS

**You:** Did you break anything? - DH

**Stranger:** I broke my arm. Scott panicked and went to find his mom. -SS

**You:** Not a bad plan, to be fair - DH

**Stranger:** No it wasn't. I didn't want to be alone, though. -SS

**You:** I can understand that - DH

**Stranger:** ...Do you really think I could be a good dad? -SS

**You:** I really do - DH

**Stranger:** I really think you would be, too. You take care of a bunch of teens already. -SS

**You:** I have too many of my own issues to inflict them on kids - DH

**Stranger:** Everyone has issues. -SS

**You:** Not as bad as mine - DH

**Stranger:** You'll be okay, Derek. -SS

**You:** Thanks - DH

**Stranger:** You've got the pack behind you, too. Our kids will have a village to take care of them. -SS

**You:** You think we'll...you think we'll get there? - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. Yeah, we'll both have kids one day. We'll get through the hard stuff because we've got the pack ready to carry us through if we need it. -SS

**You:** I...really want that - DH

**Stranger:** Don't worry. It's all gonna' be fine. Scott wouldn't let either of us go under. -SS

**You:** I thought you said he's a terrible mom - DH

**Stranger:** He is but he's a great friend. -SS

**You:** Remember that when he fucks up with Padme, okay? - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, yeah. -SS

**You:** You should tell him why it matters to you - DH

**You:** He'll listen - DH

**Stranger:** I guess. You think him and Allison will end up with kids? -SS

**You:** I think Scott will want them. I don't know if she will. - DH

**Stranger:** I think they'd be good parents together.- SS

**You:** I fear for anyone who messes with Allison's kids - DH

**Stranger:** Oh god she'd kill them. -SS

**You:** She wouldn't go easy on them, no - DH

**Stranger:** [Delayed] How many kids do you want? -SS

**You:** I don't know - DH

**You:** But I liked having siblings - DH

**You:** Even when I hated it - DH

**Stranger:** I wish I had siblings. But, like...I wasn't even supposed to be here so...-SS

**You:** What do you mean? - DH

**Stranger:** Doctors told mom and dad that she would never have kids. -SS

**You:** They were lucky, then - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. Mom used to call me her miracle baby. -SS

**You:** You had Scott, though - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, but it's not exactly the same. -SS

**You:** No - DH

**Stranger:** Either way. I love him to death though. -SS

**You:** I know - DH

**You:** It's obvious - DH

**Stranger:** It's cool that he thinks of you as a brother, I think. -SS

**You:** I'm...glad, that he does, now - DH

**Stranger:** I'm sorry we were assholes. We were a couple of scared kids, we didn't know what to do. -SS

**You:** It's okay. I wasn't exactly easy to like -DH

**Stranger:** You had that serial killer vibe. -SS

**You:** It was a defense mechanism - DH

**Stranger:** You still have it sometimes. -SS

**Stranger:** When you're not being an adorable dork. -SS

**You:** It can be useful - DH

**Stranger:** What, the serial killer vibe or the adorable dork vibe? -SS

**You:** serial killer - DH

**You:** Dork isn't something I aspire to - DH

**Stranger:** You sort of are a giant dork. -SS

No. - DH

You agreed to be godfather to a fake baby called Padme. - SS

At this point, you have to accept it. - SS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my co-author for Stiles and the prompt. Hope you enjoyed it!


	14. Keeping Up Appearances

  
**You:** I think I may have just gotten the 'it's okay to be gay' talk - SS

**Stranger:** Seriously?-DH

**You:** I'm not quite sure /what/ that was, but it was something - SS

**You:** There was a lot of hinting that I could bring anyone I was dating (no matter their gender) over for dinner and dad would love to meet them - SS

**Stranger:** Well, I guess it's reassuring.-DH

**You:** It would be, if I wasn't eighty percent sure he thinks this hypothetical boyfriend is not hypothetical - SS

**You:** And may, in fact, be you - SS

**Stranger:** Ah.-DH

**Stranger:** I can see why that'd be awkward.-DH

**You:** I mean, on the one hand? Super flattering that he thinks you'd go out with me - SS  
On the other hand: you aren't going out with me - SS

**You:** On a third hand: at least an older boyfriend offers /some/ explanation for my erratic behavior lately - SS

**Stranger:** Three hands. Nice.-DH

**You:** Sometimes two hands aren't enough - SS

**Stranger:** You aren't wrong.-DH

**You:** So, yeah - SS

**You:** Consider this a heads up - SS

**You:** My dad thinks we're dating - SS

**Stranger:** I'll try me best to avoid him then.-DH

**You:** ...I guess that's probably a good plan - SS

**Stranger:** What else would you suggest?-DH

**You:** Yeah, no, I'm drawing a blank - SS

**You:** Apart from the usual spiel about re-integrating into the community - SS

**Stranger:** What?-DH

**You:** Wow. Have I actually not said it to your face yet? - SS

**Stranger:** No. You haven't.-DH

**You:** Right. Uh... - SS

**You:** You're gonna have to bear with me a bit, here - SS

**You:** So, everyone knew the Hales before the fire, right? Pillars of the community, founding family, etc, etc - SS

**You:** So their peculiarities (like the extended family living in one big house together, and partially homeschooling the kids) were overlooked - SS

**You:** But right now, you're conspicuous, and suspicious, and people watch you and judge you all the time - SS

**Stranger:** I know they do.-DH

**You:** I figured. And yeah, part of it is Scott's and my fault - SS

**Stranger:** What? No it's not-DH

**You:** The arrests? - SS

**You:** People know about that, dude - SS

**Stranger:** Okay, that was your fault.-DH

**You:** Anyway - SS

**You:** The bad-boy leather and muscle car, no-one knows where he lives, never met him at a grocery store, does he even work? thing really doesn't help - SS

**You:** And I'm not suggesting you pretend to be different to who you are - SS

**You:** But start, I don't know, volunteering at the library or some shit - SS

**You:** Take some classes at community college - SS

**Stranger:** Somehow, I don't think they'd take me.-DH

**You:** Eh, they're always looking for volunteers - SS

**You:** I bet Deaton would vouch for you, he's pretty respected - SS

**Stranger:** I think I'll pass.-DH

**You:** D'you see what I mean, though? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, I do.-DH

**You:** People worry less about a stand-up member of the community mentoring teens who've had a hard time than they do about a suspicious criminal type recruiting high-schoolers for his gang - SS

**You:** It's stupid and superficial - SS

**You:** But it happens anyway - SS

**Stranger:** It wasn't a gang.-DH

**Stranger:** ...Okay, so it kind of was, from a layman's understanding.-DH

**You:** Yeah. It /looked/ like a gang - SS

**You:** I know, for you guys, it's found family - SS

**Stranger:** I was only trying to help.-DH

**You:** Look, I'm not going to say you did the wrong thing - SS

**Stranger:** But I did.-DH

**You:** You worked really hard in really shitty circumstances to make Erica, Isaac, and Boyd's lives better - SS

**Stranger:** And look how that turned out?-DH

**You:** It's not like it's your fault, dude - SS

**Stranger:** Sure it wasn't.-DH

**You:** I am one hundred percent serious, okay? Not your fault - SS

**Stranger:** I suppose it doesn't matter.-DH

**You:** How you feel always matters, but I'll drop it. It's cool. - SS

**Stranger:** No, it's okay.-DH

**You:** I just...don't want to push, you know? - SS

**Stranger:** I know.-DH

**You:** Anyway. Yeah. I don't blame you. I don't think anyone should. It sucks, though. - SS

**Stranger:** I can't help with people think.-DH

**You:** Not really, I guess - SS

**You:** I mean, rumor's unreliable and reputation is fickle - SS

**Stranger:** Don't I know it.-D

**You:** Sorry - SS

**Stranger:** It's not really your fault.-DH

**You:** No, I just meant...I'm sorry it's like that. And for bringing it up. - SS

**Stranger:** It's alright.-DH

**Stranger:** I'll deal with it.-DH

**You:** Still sucks - SS

**Stranger:** I know.-DH

**Stranger:** It's not like I haven't noticed.-DH

**You:** Well, you did ask for the spiel - SS

**Stranger:** I did.-DH

**You:** You know, it just occurred to me that I know practically nothing about your non-supernatural life - SS

**You:** Like, I assume you worked when you were with Laura, but doing what? Did you go to college? Did you live anywhere other than New York? - SS

**Stranger:** I'm in property investment. Like my dad was, and then like Laura was. Helps that whatever was left mostly went to me.-DH

**You:** Huh - SS

**You:** So the loft? - SS

**Stranger:** I own the building.-DH

**You:** Cool - SS

**You:** College? - SS

**Stranger:** I have a bachelor's degree.-DH

**You:** That's pretty awesome - SS

**You:** I'm kind of freaked out about college, honestly - SS

**Stranger:** It's not so bad.-DH

**You:** I'm worried at least as much about leaving BH as I am about my grades - SS

**Stranger:** Leaving wasn't so hard for me, considering.-DH

**You:** Point - SS

**You:** I can't help thinking I'll turn my back and this whole town will suddenly implode - SS

**Stranger:** We'll be alright.-DH

**You:** You will actually tell me what's going on, won't you? - SS

**Stranger:** Of course.-DH

**You:** Good - SS

**Stranger:** Things have cooled down a little, I'm sure it'll be fine.-DH

**You:** Jesus Christ, Derek, don't say that! - SS

**You:** Everything's like, ninety eight and three quarters percent guaranteed to /not/ be fine now - SS

**Stranger:** I've been talking to people, we have precautions in place.-DH

**You:** Wow, could you be vaguer? - SS

**Stranger:** My family have been keeping this town in check for a long time. It'll be okay.-DH

**You:** [delay]

**You:** I trust you, Derek - SS

**Stranger:** I sense a but in there.-DH

**You:** No buts - SS

**You:** I'm freaking out mildly, but I trust you - SS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my co-author for an awesome Derek. Hope you enjoyed it!


	15. What You Really Really Want

**You:** You've earned yourself a wish, sweetheart - DH

**Stranger:** Really? SS

**Stranger:** Thank you, sir. SS

**You:** You were very good for me last night, and I know it was hard for you - DH

**Stranger:** It was all for you, sir. SS

**You:** And that's why you've earned a wish - DH

**Stranger:** Whatever I want? SS

**You:** Within the usual limits, yes - DH

**Stranger:** I want a romantic dinner at home. Derek and Stiles. That's what I want. SS

**You:** That's a small thing that I'm very glad to give, pet - DH

**You:** Would you like me to cook? - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. And I'd want you to use my name and not pet for it. SS

**Stranger:** Is that okay, sir? SS

**You:** If you'd like an evening without the power dynamics, then I'm happy to do that for you - DH

**You:** I love you - DH

**Stranger:** I love you too. SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** Are you not happy with the power play any more? - DH

**Stranger:** I'm happy with it. I just want us for a night...just us. SS

**You:** Do you...is that something you feel we should do more? - DH

**Stranger:** I don't know....SS

**Stranger:** Maybe. It's nice. SS

**You:** I'm sorry. I should have realised you missed it - DH

**Stranger:** It's okay. I like what we have. SS

**You:** But if we, for example, took a day a week to just be Derek and Stiles, as you put it... - DH

**Stranger:** I'd be happy. SS

**You:** Alright. We'll do that from now on. - DH

**You:** Sundays? - DH

**Stranger:** It's okay, Derek. I like what we have. SS

**Stranger:** If you really want that. SS

**You:** I love you with or without the power dynamics, you know - DH

**You:** Most of all, what I want is for you to be happy - DH

**Stranger:** You love the power. SS

**You:** I love /you/ - DH

**Stranger:** I know and I love you. SS

**You:** We'll do the dinner. But we'll make the change as well - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Thank you. SS

**You:** You're very welcome, Stiles - DH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my collaborator for Stiles. Hope you enjoyed it!


	16. Drunk-Dial

**Stranger:** Did I call you last night? -SS

**You:** You did, yes - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. -SS  
Did I say anything weird? -SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** That depends on how you define weird - DH

**You:** You said a lot of things - DH

**Stranger:** Weird as in not something I would usually say. -SS

**You:** You...talked about me a lot - DH

**Stranger:** What did I say, exactly? -SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** You said you loved me - DH

**Stranger:** So I didn't dream that then, right. -SS

**You:** I'm assuming not, depending on what you remember - DH

**Stranger:** I don't remember much. -SS  
Scott was there. -SS  
And I remember dialling you. -SS  
And I think I start talking about your beard for like twenty minutes. -SS

**You:** Sounds about right - DH

**Stranger:** I also vaguely remember talking about your ass. -SS

**You:** You particularly like it in my favourite jeans, apparently - DH

**You:** You were surprisingly eloquent for being so drunk - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, it's weird. Scott started calling me Prince Stilinski once cause I talk better drunk than I do sober. -SS

**You:** I assume he was also drunk when he did that - DH

**Stranger:** Probably, I don't know. -SS

**Stranger:** I'm kind of a lightweight, I get drunk too fast to notice if Scott's drunk too. -SS

**Stranger:** [delayed] We're okay, right? -SS

**You:** We're fine, Stiles - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. -SS  
Cause, what I said, it doesn't have to mean anything. -SS  
I mean, I don't want to make things weird if you don't feel like that too. -SS

**You:** It's not weird - DH

**You:** It's...reciprocated - DH

**You:** I wasn't going to say anything until you were sober and I knew you meant it - DH

**Stranger:** It is? -SS

**Stranger:** Really? -SS

**You:** Yes - DH

**Stranger:** Oh. -SS

**Stranger:** I did not see that coming. -SS

**You:** Well, I was pretty surprised last night - DH

**You:** So I guess we're even - DH

**Stranger:** Touche. -SS

**You:** So...what now? - DH

**Stranger:** We should go on a date. -SS

**You:** I'd like that a lot - DH

**Stranger:** Awesome, me too. -SS  
What do you want to do? -SS

**You:** I haven't been on a date in ages - DH

**You:** I think you should pick - DH

**Stranger:** I don't know. -SS

**You:** Pretty much anything would make me happy - going out, staying in, movies, dinner, milkshakes, picnic in the park or the preserve... - DH

**Stranger:** I could cook you dinner? -SS

**Stranger:** If you want? -SS

**You:** I'd love that. - DH

**Stranger:** Awesome. -SS

**Stranger:** Anything in particular you want to eat? -SS

**You:** So long as it's not tofu, I'm good - DH

**You:** You're a great cook - I love everything you make - DH

**Stranger:** Thank you. -SS

**You:** I'm really looking forward to it - DH

**Stranger:** Me too. -SS

**You:** Friday? - DH

**Stranger:** Friday's perfect. -SS

**You:** I'll see you then - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, see you then. -SS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my co-author for Stiles and the prompt. Hope you enjoyed it!


	17. According to Popular Opinion

According to rumor, you're dating Erica - SS

Just thought you should know - SS

 

Whose rumor? -DH

 

School - SS

 

Erica probably started that one. -DH

 

...I'd believe it - SS

 

You would? -DH

 

That she started the rumor, or the rumor itself? - SS

Answer's yes to both, by the way - SS

 

You believe I'm dating Erica? -DH

 

I don't necessarily think you are, but it's plausible - SS

 

I don't see how. -DH

 

Two intimidatingly sexy, leather-wearing, badass werewolves? - SS

She's one of the few in this town who are actually in your league - SS

 

I don't have a league. If I did, wearing leather doesn't necessarily get you in it. -DH

And…intimidatingly sexy? -DH

 

You kind of are, dude - SS

 

I'm not, you know. -DH

 

Uh, yes you are - SS

 

Dating Erica. -DH

 

oh, that - SS

I didn't really think so? - SS

With the way she looks at Boyd and stuff - SS

 

With the way Boyd looks at her, I wouldn't think so either. -DH

 

D'you think they're going to get their collective act together anytime soon? - SS

 

They'll get there. Erica will get them there. -DH

 

Not Boyd? - SS

 

No. He just sits and stares. -DH

 

That's a pretty unproductive strategy. - SS

 

He really should make a move - SS

 

Safer, though. Imagine coming on to her if she's not interested. -DH

 

It's not like she's going to punch him in the face - SS

She's friends with Boyd, she'd say no as nicely as possible - SS

If she did reject him, which she wouldn't - SS

 

A nice no is still a no. -DH

He can't know she won't reject him. -DH

 

But he's never gonna get a yes if he doesn't ask - SS

 

You know he's not going to. -DH

 

She's not going to either, though - SS

 

How do you know? -DH

 

Because I get what it's like to project like that - SS

She's super sexy, and she's more confident in her appearance now that she's healthy, but it doesn't mean she can really believe he'd like her back - SS

 

So should I kick Boyd into action, then? -DH

 

He needs to make the first move - SS

 

You don't believe someone would like you back? -DH

 

Yeah - SS

I mean, it's fine - SS

But honestly, running around after Lydia was so tiring - SS

I'm not going to do that again - SS

 

So you're not going to let anyone know you like them? -DH

Sounds like a pretty unproductive strategy. -DH

 

Yeah, yeah, I'm a cowardly hypocrite - SS

I don't know - SS

I guess I'm just cool with what I've got - SS

 

You should be. -DH

 

Okay with what I have? - SS

 

Oh, I thought…nevermind. Being okay with what you have doesn't mean you can't ask for more. -DH

 

[delay]

I don't want to take the chance that I'll ruin things - SS

Especially since I'm almost certain I'll get a no - SS

 

Almost? -DH

 

I'm trying to be hopeful - SS

 

I don't think you're likely to get a no. -DH

 

You don't even know who it is - SS

 

No, but I know you. -DH

 

so? - SS

 

Who'd refuse you? -DH

 

uh, like everyone? - SS

 

Not everyone. -DH

 

I'm not exactly a hot prospect - SS

 

You are to some. -DH

 

You're sweet, Sourwolf, but you don't have to lie to make me feel better - SS

 

I'm not lying. -DH

 

[no response]

 

Stiles? Whoever you…only an idiot would say no. -DH

I'd like to think I'm not an idiot. -DH

 

...you would say yes? if it was you, if I asked you - SS

 

Yeah. -DH

[delay]

Don't feel like you're.. It's fine. Just- you should know. -DH

 

[delay]

It's you - SS

You're the one I'm...falling for - SS

 

I've been falling for a while now. -DH

Are you sure? -DH

 

You... - SS

Yes. I'm sure. - SS

 

Can I pick you up from school tomorrow? -DH

 

Why Derek, are you asking me on a date? - SS

 

Seems rude to skip that part. -DH

 

Christ, Derek. Never change. - SS

The answer's yes, by the way - SS

 

Good. You can tell them the rumor isn't true. -DH

 

That's not how it works, Sourwolf - SS

We'll have to start new rumors - SS

 

Do we? -DH

 

I think we do - SS

I want everyone to know you're dating me - SS

 

I think we can find a way to make sure of that. -DH

 

Oh yeah? - SS

 

Mmhm. -DH

 

I'll be looking forward to it - SS

 


	18. Not Just Anything

Will you please come back to pack meetings now? - DH

 

Why? -SS

 

We need you there - DH

We want you there - DH

 

But you don't need me. -SS

No. -SS

 

We do, Stiles - DH

It's not the same without you - DH

 

Give it up. -SS

I'm not coming back just to leave again. -SS

 

Why would you leave again? - DH

How can we get you to stay? - DH

 

You'll get fed up with me again. -SS

 

Again? - DH

 

Look, I don't want to. -SS

 

Stiles, we never got fed up with you - DH

Please - DH

What do we need to do so that you come back? - DH

 

You can't do anything. -SS

 

Stiles, please - DH

We need you – DH

We've been falling apart since you left - DH

 

Why? -SS

 

You're the heart of the pack, the glue that sticks us together - DH

Everyone listens to you - DH

Without you here, all we do is argue - DH

 

Funny. -SS

...Fine. -SS

 

Really? - DH

You'll come back? - DH

 

Yes. -SS

I didn't know you were such an idiots. -SS

You're pack, you're supposed to stay together. -SS

 

Well, you're pack too - DH

And you left - DH

 

I'm not. -SS

 

Is it that surprising that the rest of us idiots didn't know what to do? - DH

You...you aren't? - DH

I thought you said you were coming back - DH

 

I'm not pack! I'm a human. I'm not pack... You should have been fine without me. -SS

 

Your species has nothing to do with it - DH

 

I don't belong. -SS

I'm coming back because you need to stay together. -SS

 

God, Stiles - DH

I'm so sorry - DH

I thought...I thought you'd chosen to be pack, wanted to be - DH

 

I would but I just don't belong there. -SS

 

Did we, I...why do you think that? - DH

 

Because I don't do anything. -SS

 

What? - DH

 

I'm just glue. -SS

I sit back and watch you do everything. -SS

 

No, you do so much more than that - DH

You do more than anyone! - DH

 

How? -SS

 

You're our investigator, our detective, our researcher, our strategist - DH

In a fight, you're our wild card, and you've saved lives more times than I can count - DH

You hound after us until we look after ourselves when we're hurt - DH

You make sure everyone's keeping their life in balance - DH

You give people a listening ear, advice, a hug, sympathy, whenever they need it - DH

We're just muscle - DH

 

You're making me sound like some mother. -SS

I'm coming back, okay? -SS

 

Call yourself Wendy to the lost boys if you want - DH

I don't just want you to come back because we need you - DH

I want you to come back because you /want/ to - DH

 

Doesn't matter. -SS

 

It does - DH

We don't just need you, we care about you - DH

If you aren't happy... - DH

 

Let it go, okay? -SS

 

Forget that you think you're not pack, that you don't belong, that you're useless? - DH

I can't, Stiles - DH

 

Why not? -SS

 

Because you matter to me - DH

And because I should have realised sooner - DH

 

Realized what? -SS

That we weren't...that I wasn't...showing you, well enough, how much you matter, how much you're appreciated - DH

 

Sorry I left. -SS

 

No, if you feel this way it's...understandable – DH

I’ll try to do better - DH


	19. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek is under a babbling curse - he just can't stop talking. He ends up revealing more than he'd planned to Stiles.
> 
> curses, truth spell, mutual pining, talking about love

Stiles, help - DH

I can't stop talking - DH

 

Talking about what? -SS

 

Anything - DH

Everything - DH

I can lie, but there's so much pressure to keep talking I don't have much of a filter - DH

I think I pissed off a witch earlier, but it came on gradually so I didn't notice at first - DH

 

I was just about to ask how it happened.. -SS

I should've known. -SS

 

I came across her scent in the grocery store and I followed it to her car and waited for her - DH

I told her the territory was occupied and she should be careful not to make trouble and she gave me the most /patronising/ look and told me she wasn't in the habit and shooed me away - DH

I didn't realise until I got home - DH

 

She didn't sound like she was going to curse you though. -SS

Weird. -SS

 

But now if I'm not communicating with someone there's this huge pressure that builds up - DH

 

Unless you were a lot more of a dick as usual. -SS

Until what? -SS

 

It's like needing to breathe - DH

Until I talk - DH

Or text, texting works - DH

And if I talk, someone has to be listening - DH

So until I figured out I could text you I was just getting louder and louder because I'm alone in the loft - DH

 

Hahahaha oh god that's kinda hilarious. -SS

 

Gee thanks - DH

That's exactly what this situation is - DH

 

Yeah. It is. You're talking. -S

A lot. -SS

 

I'm aware, Stiles - DH

I can't help it - DH

I hate this so much - DH

I don't like talking - DH

 

I know you don't. -SS

 

And I /really/ don't like being forced to talk - DH

 

Which is why I'm enjoying it. -SS

It'll be fine. It'll probably wear off. -SS

 

We all know you're a sadistic asshole, Stiles - DH

Really? - DH

Are you sure? - DH

I figured you'd know, but it's not like I've given you a lot of detail - DH

 

It's only the malicious curses that stick around.. -SS

Usually. -SS

 

That's reassuring - DH

Honestly, she didn't seem angry, just annoyed - DH

But I had to be sure - DH

 

So you just need to talk it out of you. -SS

 

I don't want to keep talking, Stiles! - DH

And you'd better goddamn stay on the phone, by the way - DH

 

Yeah, course I will. -SS

 

I do NOT want to do this with anyone else - DH

 

Like Scott.. HA. -SS

 

Or Peter - DH

Peter would be the worst - DH

But Scott would be almost as bad - DH

Scott wouldn't get it - DH

He'd be so angry at me - DH

I try so hard with him but it never works - DH

I think he'll always resent me - DH

 

He wouldn't be angry. -SS

Nah, he doesn't. -SS

 

He would - DH

He's got such a strong moral code - DH

And I've fucked up so many fucking times - DH

I can't forgive myself, why should he? - DH

 

He already has? -SS

Only one still thinking about the past like that is you. -SS

 

He doesn't know all of it, though - DH

Not the stuff before I came back - DH

Before I left the first time - DH

All the fucking stupid choices I made - DH

I should never have opened my mouth - DH

 

You were young. -SS

 

Never have told them anything - DH

Youth doesn't excuse it - DH

You're young - DH

All of you are young - DH

And you still take responsibility for your choices - DH

 

Still. You were young and blinded by love. -SS

 

Blind, yes - DH

I never wanted to fall in love again - DH

I fucking resented the feeling - DH

It isn't safe to love - DH

Not for you, not for them - DH

But I can't stop it - DH

I can't help loving - DH

 

Isn't a bad thing.. Love is good. -SS

Love helps. -SS

 

It frightens me - DH

 

Why? -SS

 

I feel cracked open, vulnerable - DH

I try my best to hide it - DH

But my heart's not mine anymore - DH

I have to trust someone else to look after it - DH

And they don't even know - DH

 

We won't let anyone hurt you again. -SS

Who is it? -SS

 

Please don't make me tell you - DH

Please - DH

 

Oh, sure. It's fine. -SS

 

I'm sorry - DH

I should tell you - DH

I just don't want to - DH

I trust you - DH

 

It's okay, Derek. -SS

 

But even after all this time, I'm not used to feeling this way - DH

Thank you - DH

 

What way? -SS

 

In love - DH

It's been months since I was sure - DH

Since I recognised it - DH

Probably longer since it started - DH

It's different than before - DH

Steadier - DH

 

Different how? -SS

That's good though isn't it? Steady? -SS

 

I trust it more - DH

It's not just surface - DH

And it wasn't quick - DH

But it's been growing for a long time - DH

I could never uproot it - DH

I don't think I'll ever try - DH

 

Good. -SS

Sounds perfect. -SS

Just what you need. -SS

 

Loving Kate was like fire - DH

Ironically - DH

Burnt hot and fast - DH

Left ashes behind - DH

I couldn't think of anything but her - DH

It came from nowhere - DH

Loving Paige was like a wave crashing over me - DH

Started slow, then overwhelming - DH

And left me all alone when the tide went out - DH

 

So what's this one like then? -SS

 

It's a tree - DH

I didn't even notice the seed of it - DH

But it keeps on growing, getting stronger and steadier - DH

 

That's good! -SS

 

Someday it'll either wither away or be ripped out - DH

The first I could survive - DH

I don't know about the second - DH

The stronger it gets rooted the harder it'll be - DH

 

You don't know it wouldn't work -SS

 

Everything ends, Stiles - DH

I'll be rejected, explicitly or gradually, or we'll try and it won't work - DH

Or it will work and it'll end when one of us dies - DH

I'd rather die first, but I'm never lucky like that - DH

Chances are I'll stand at your grave like I did at Laura's - DH

I couldn't bear that, Stiles - DH

 

What? -SS

Mine? -SS

 

Dammit - DH

 

What? -SS

 

I didn't mean to tell you that -DH

 

Well you did. -SS

So did you mean it? -SS

 

Of course I meant it - DH

What part of 'I don't have much of a filter right now' didn't you get? - DH

 

Just checking... -SS

No one is dying any time soon... -SS

 

If we're lucky - DH

 

We could be. -SS

 

What do you mean? - DH

Be that lucky. -SS

 

There's always a chance - DH

I don't trust luck - DH

 

Sometimes you gotta take a chance. -SS

 

Yeah? - DH

 

Yeah - SS


	20. Sadness and Scotch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> friends, drunk Stiles, drunk texting, Scott is a bad friend, pining Stiles, bisexual Stiles, supportive Derek
> 
> WARNING: alcohol abuse - Stiles gets drunk to deal with negative emotions, and implies he does so regularly. Derek urges him to address his problems instead, and to see a therapist. It's also implied that the Sheriff has a similar approach to alcohol.

Drek - SS

I felll ovr - SS

 

Are you drunk? -DH

 

maaaaaaaaybe - SS

 

It's a school night, Stiles. -DH

Why are you even texting me? -DH

 

dnurk isn for weekends - SS

srunk is for sad -SS

 

Why are you sad drinking? -DH

 

bcos - SS

 

If you're going to texting me while drunk I at least want to know why. -DH

 

yur my favurit - SS

 

I thought Scott was your favorite. -DH

 

an you listen - SS

he doesnt listen - SS

he doent notice - SS

 

Scott is too wrapped up in his own life to pay attention to you. That I've noticed, at least. -DH

 

he woulnt text me bcak - SS

 

He's probably with whichever girl he's dating at the moment. -DH

Is that why you're sad drinking? -DH

 

partily - SS

parshuly - SS

partially - SS

 

Partly? -DH

 

sctt doesn listen anymore - SS

an he always has a girlfriend - SS

 

Maybe you need new friends. -DH

Or a girlfriend of your own. -DH

 

an dads busy - SS

an im lonley - SS

pssh - SS

not gon have a girlfrind - SS

 

Why not? You're not that bad looking. You just need to get over that red headed girl. -DH

 

Im over her - SS

not over HIM - SS

 

Who is 'him'? I've only heard you drone on and on about the one girl. -DH

Something about a ten year plan. -DH

 

tat was ages ago - SS

 

So you've moved on to men now. -DH

Interesting. -DH

 

noo - SS

didn turn me gay, dude, s biphobic, don do that - SS

 

I'm pretty sure you just said you were bi? -DH

 

y - SS

 

That was hard to read, Stiles. I'm just going by the one word I got from that last text. -DH

 

drekkk - SS

 

What? -DH

 

dont be an asshole - SS

 

How am I being an asshole. -DH

 

all sarcastic and weird - SS

 

You're drunk. I'm not being anything. -DH

 

ur being pretty - SS

your always pretty - SS

 

You think I'm pretty? -DH

 

prettiest - SS

all the pretty - SS

How much alcohol did you drink exactly? -DH

 

umm - SS

an amount? - SS

 

Yes. -DH

 

of scotch - SS

 

'of scotch' -DH

Okay. -DH

Where are you drinking this at? -DH

 

dad keeps it for after bad cases, or whn hes sad abot mom, or when Im disspointing him - SS

 

..Do you sad drink often? -DH

 

smtimes - SS

more now - SS

 

Why now? -DH

 

cos im sad - SS

sthe point - SS

 

Dear God, Stiles. There are better ways to deal with being sad than drinking. Go talk to that therapist at your school. -DH

 

cant - SS

whats the point when half my life I cant talk about? - SS

 

Then ask Deaton to find you a therapist who knows about all of this. -DH

 

im scared - SS

 

Scared of what? -DH

 

evthing - SS

the future - SS

 

That's normal for kids your age, Stiles. Trust me. Okay.. -DH

 

used to be scared just for dad - SS

now I'm scared for dad and scott and you and everyone and me - SS

 

[delay]

I know how you feel. I've been where you are, alright. I know. It's okay, though. -DH

 

theres nothing I can do - SS

i cant keep yo safe - SS

 

You can stay strong and push through it. -DH

You don't have to keep me safe. -DH

You need to worry about yourself and not me. -DH

 

worry about you most - SS

 

I'm barely involved in pack business now. You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. -DH

 

need you safe - SS

no one looks after you - SS

 

I am safe. -DH

 

not even you - SS

 

[delay]

I don't need anyone to look after me, Stiles. -DH

 

ys you do - SS

 

I've survived this long without anyone. I think I can manage. -DH

 

noo - SS

survivals shit - SS

you deserv better - SS

 

I thought we were talking about you. -DH

 

your tryinb to distract me - SS

s not working - SS

 

I'm not trying to distract you. I just want you to talk to someone who can help you out a little better than I can. Sad drinking isn't cool. Especially for a teenager. -DH

 

i know - SS

but it works, mostly - SS

 

That doesn't mean you should do it. -DH

 

iknow, im pathetic - SS

 

I never said that. -DH

You're not pathetic. You just need someone to help you. -DH

 

like that's gonna happen - SS

 

You have a lot of people that care about you, Stiles. You just need to reach out and be honest with them. -DH

 

no one listens, Drek. no one noticesme - SS

 

Then make them notice. Don't just sit around and wait for everyone else to get off their asses. If they can't get you help then get yourself help. -DH

 

im tired - SS

 

I know. -DH

Maybe you should go to sleep for the night, Stiles. Skip school tomorrow and come over and we can work something out with Deaton. -DH

 

youll be there? - SS

 

Yeah, I'll be there. -DH

 

kay - SS

g'night, derek. lov you - SS

 

Wait, what? - DH

[delay]

Goodnight, Stiles - DH


	21. In Sickness And In Health

I hate you so much right now - SS

 

What did I do this time? -DH

 

You've never been sick - SS

 

And I am right now -DH

 

what? - SS

 

I've never been sick but I am now which is why I'm not there now. -DH

 

How are you sick? - SS

How is that even a thing? - SS

Are you okay? - SS

Is something wrong with your healing? - SS

 

Don't worry about it too much. - DH

"I'll be fine." -DH

 

no no no no no - SS

/I/ get to say that when I'm sick - SS

Because it is a /normal/ thing - SS

/You/ do not get to say that when you're sick - SS

 

Why are you getting so worried. It's no big deal Stiles. -DH

 

You shouldn't be sick! Something is wrong! - SS

Until we know why, it is /totally/ a big deal! - SS

It's not! Just some wolfsbane. -DH

 

Why didn't you ask me to help? - SS

 

Because you were busy -DH

 

Dude, I am never too busy for that shit - SS

Ever - SS

ever ever ever - SS

You didn't even tell me - SS

 

Why are you freaking out so much Stiles? -DH

 

You are, historically, absolutely AWFUL at looking after yourself - SS

 

Then if you're so good at it then you do it. -DH

 

Look after you? That's what I was going for - SS

 

Then why didn't you just say that? -DH

 

Dude, was it not obvious? - SS

 

Not to me. -DH

 

Sorry. I should have guessed saying that I'm never too busy to help you just wasn't /clear/ enough - SS

 

I'm not good at reading people Stiles and you know that. -DH

 

What did you even think I was saying, though? - SS

 

That you weren't busy. I don't know. -DH

That we're friends. -DH

We've done this before. -DH

 

Well, we are friends, and I may feel a little bit like shit right now, but I'm definitely not busy - SS

 

What's wrong with you? -DH

 

I, too, am sick - SS

It's just a cold though - SS

Kind of a bitch of a cold - SS

But I can deal - SS

 

Stay home and get better Stiles. Don't worry about me. -DH

 

I am rolling my eyes so hard right now - SS

 

You can roll them all that you want but you need to get better. -DH

 

Derek, it's not the flu - SS

I can't do anything right now but take painkillers when appropriate, drink fluids, and carry tissues around - SS

I may as well help you - SS

I'm not incapacitated - SS

 

Stiles you need to rest. Take care of yourself. -DH

 

Dude. You know practically nothing about humans getting sick. I am telling you, it will not hurt me to come over and help you out - SS

If I get tired, hey, you have a couch - SS

 

And a bed. -DH

That too - SS

 

I won't make a sick kid sleep on the couch. -DH

 

And where are you going to sleep? - SS

 

Floor. -DH

But I doubt that I'll be sleeping. -DH

 

You are NOT sleeping on the floor, dude - SS

And why won't you be sleeping? - SS

Don't think I haven't noticed that you haven't actually said what's wrong with you - SS

 

Trust me Stiles it's best that I not sleep. If I fall asleep we may have a problem. -DH

 

You didn't tell me what it's /doing/ to you - SS

 

It's killing me. -DH

 

[delay]

Derek, why the FUCK wasn't that the first thing you said to me? - SS

 

You didn't ask... Hold on Peter found the torch. -DH

 

I asked if you were okay, do you think that 'it's killing me' is not a RELEVANT response to that question? - SS

 

Stiles just chill. I'll be fine once we burn it out. -DH

 

[delay]

Chill. - SS

You want me to 'chill'. - SS

 

Yes chill. -DH

Yes. -DH

 

[delay]

Derek Hale, I have never in my LIFE been angrier at you than I am right now. - SS

 

Why? -DH

 

Let's go over what happened in this conversation, shall we? - SS

And while we do, I want you to think about how you'd feel if you were hearing this instead of saying it. - SS

You informed me you were sick. Not wounded, not poisoned. 'Sick'. - SS

You told me not to worry, that you would be fine. - SS

When I asked for more detail, you told me it wasn't a big deal. - SS

When I insisted, you said it was wolfsbane, but reiterated that I shouldn't worry, because you were 'working on it'. - SS

 

I'd be furious with you, You can't heal like I can Stiles. -DH

 

And when I asked to help, you again said it wasn't a big deal. - SS

Once I mentioned that /I/ was sick, you shifted the focus onto me, telling me AGAIN not to worry, and that PETER would help you. - SS

When I offered to come over, you said you'd give me the bed, and revealed that you wouldn't be sleeping because it would be 'a bad idea'. - SS

You then elaborated that the wolfsbane was killing you. - SS

And told me to 'chill'. - SS

 

Stiles... You're too wound tight. -DH

 

You fucking BASTARD, don't you DARE say I'm overreacting - SS

 

Stiles you're acting like I'm doing this on purpose. -DH

 

You think I'm angry at you because you're hurt? - SS

 

Yes. -DH

 

You are such a fucking idiot - SS

 

I'm angry at you because not only did you NOT ASK FOR HELP, you actively REFUSED it when it was offered - SS

 

I didn't refuse. I just don't think you should since you're sick. -DH

 

Don't make my choices for me, Derek Hale - SS

 

Fine do what you want. -DH

 

What I /want/ is to get over there, nurse you back to health, and then punch you in the face - SS

 

Then do it. -DH

 

[delay]

I don't get you, Derek - SS

 

You probably never will. -DH

 

You talk so much about pack, but you're awful at it - SS

 

I'm not pack to you. -DH

 

Seriously? - SS

Jesus, Derek, what do you think we are, then? - SS

 

Friends. -DH

 

Well thanks for that much, at least - SS

 

What do you think we are? -DH

 

/I/ thought we were pack - SS

I thought that was what it meant, when you discovered you trusted someone to always come for you when you needed them - SS

 

... Stiles. that kind of is it but it's not all that pack is. -DH

 

Well when I get there, you’re going to tell me what we’re missing, and I’m going to fix it - SS


	22. Theme Tune

 

 

**Stranger:** Stiles, stop playing 90's R &B every time I walk into a room you're in. -DH

**You:** But dude! It suits you so well! - SS

**Stranger:** You played 'Bump and Grind' last time. -DH

**You:** Yeah, so? - SS

**Stranger:** So your dad was in the room. I'm fairly certain you gave him the wrong impression. -DH

**You:** [delay] It's possible there was a slight miscalculation - SS

**Stranger:** Of me. He thinks I'm sleeping with you. -DH

**You:** Yeah, yeah, I know, you'd never stoop so low - SS

**You:** I'll tell him I'm just messing with you - SS

**Stranger:** [delay] What's that's supposed to mean? -dH

**You:** That I'm messing with you? - SS

**You:** Pretty sure it's obvious, dude - SS

**Stranger:** The first part. -DH

**You:** What, you think I'm not aware that you're /way/ out of my league? - SS

**Stranger:** Don't be an idiot. -DH

**You:** What's that supposed to mean? - SS

**Stranger:** You're gorgeous, Stiles, you're definitely in my league. -DH

**You:** [delay] Are you messing with me? - SS

**You:** Because you're, like, an eleven on a scale of ten - SS

**Stranger:** That's ridiculous. -DH

**You:** And I'm a seven on a really good day - SS

**Stranger:** You're a ten at /least/. -DH

**You:** What? No. - SS

**Stranger:** Yes. -DH

**You:** Dude, I'm gangly and pale and skinny and awkward and my eyes are too big for my face. - SS

**You:** No - SS

**Stranger:** You've got broad shoulders and a trim little waist, amazing hands and fingers, and your eyes are /gorgeous/. -DH  
Plus, your mouth. -DH

**You:** What about my mouth? - SS

**Stranger:** Do you really need me to answer that? -DH

**You:** Dude, I have no idea what you're talking about, except that my mouth is kinda big - SS

**You:** Or did you mean how I talk? Because I really doubt that's appealing - SS

**Stranger:** I can't be the first person to say these things to you. -DH  
Stiles, you have the cutest lips I've ever seen and you're always...putting things in your mouth. -DH

**You:** You...pretty much are, dude - SS

**Stranger:** ...that's stupid. -DH

**You:** Well, I mean, /I'm/ not a fan - SS

**You:** But I'm used to it - SS

**Stranger:** Are they blind? -DH

**You:** Have you /seen/ the number of hot people in my year? - SS

**You:** I just don't rate - SS

**Stranger:** You should be at the top. -DH

**You:** Thanks for the ego-boosting - SS

**Stranger:** You're welcome. -DH

**You:** Anyway. I know you wouldn't sleep with me. - SS

**Stranger:** You're underage. -DH

**You:** I'll disabuse Dad of any delusions he may have come up with - SS

**Stranger:** He gave me a speech about hurting you. -DH

**You:** Shit - SS

**You:** Sorry - SS

**Stranger:** ...I was so startled I just said 'I understand'. -DH

**You:** Oh man - SS

**You:** He's gonna think I'm bullshitting him when I tell him he's wrong - SS

**Stranger:** ...sorry. -DH

**You:** No, /I'm/ sorry - SS

**You:** It's not like I mind people thinking we're together - SS

**You:** But you do - SS

**Stranger:** I don't either. I didn't mean it like that. -DH

**You:** What did you mean, then? - SS

**Stranger:** Just, I...it's not true -DH  
If people are going to think we're dating, I'd at least like to be. -DH

**You:** You'd /like/ to be dating me? - SS

**Stranger:** Maybe. -DH  
I mean, I already got the speech from your dad. -DH

**You:** Then you should, y'know, ask me on a date - SS

**You:** You gotta know I'd say yes - SS

**Stranger:** Well, since I already have an answer... -DH

**You:** You may have an answer, but I don't have a question yet - SS

**Stranger:** Can I take you out? -DH

**You:** Yes - SS

**Stranger:** Good. Tomorrow night, six? -DH

**You:** For what? Am I dressing up? - SS

**Stranger:** Dinner. And if you'd like. -DH

**You:** Could you give me enough information that when I freak out and call Lydia at, like, four o'clock, tomorrow, she doesn't look at me like a complete incompetent? - SS

**Stranger:** That nice Italian place in the Market Square. And then maybe the boardwalk? -DH

**You:** Okay. Sounds good. - SS

**Stranger:** Don't freak out. You'll look fine. -DH

**You:** It's my first date, dude. Freaking out is inevitable. - SS

**Stranger:** ...you've never been on a date? -DH

**You:** No - SS

**You:** Surely you noticed? - SS

**Stranger:** Oh. I...I mean, it makes sense in hindsight, but I didn't realize. -DH

**You:** Yeah, well...I haven't - SS

**Stranger:** Well, I'll do my best to make it memorable, then. -DH

**You:** Pretty sure all you have to do for that is show up - SS

**Stranger:** Cute. -DH

**You:** I'm serious - SS

**Stranger:** I know. Still cute. -DH

**You:** I got a date with Derek Freaking Hale - SS

**You:** Hell yeah, it's going to be memorable - SS

**Stranger:** Funnily enough, I know. I was there. -DH

**You:** Ass. It's not the same for you - SS

**Stranger:** What makes you think I'm not just as excited? -DH

**You:** I don't know - SS

**You:** You just...it's hard to imagine you being excited about a date - SS

**You:** With me - SS

**Stranger:** I am. It's...been a long time since I've been on a date. -DH

**You:** Why? - SS

**You:** Surely there were plenty of opportunities in New York - SS

**You:** Or wherever else you were in your Lost Years - SS

**Stranger:** I wasn't exactly looking for romance when I was in New York. -DH

**You:** Then why now? - SS

**Stranger:** You're...different -DH

**You:** What do you mean? - SS

**Stranger:** I'm not sure, exactly. I like you. -DH  
I feel...safe, with you. -DH

**You:** [delay] I'm honoured. - SS

**You:** And...same here - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah? -DH

**You:** When we're together, we've always saved each other - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, we have. -DH

**You:** I know you won't abandon me - SS

See you tomorrow - DH


	23. Being an Adult

**You:**  Dude, I am so pissed at you right now you don't even know - SS

 

**Stranger:** Well, I suppose I'm sorry.-DH

 

**You:** Oh shit - SS

**You:** Sorry - SS

**You:** Not about you - SS

**You:** Wrong number - SS

 

**Stranger:** I thought so.-DH

 

**You:** It was meant for Scott - DH

 

**Stranger:** What happened?-DH

 

**You:** Blew me off again to hang out with Allison - SS

 

**Stranger:** This happens a lot.-DH

 

**You:** This happens a minimum of once a week - SS

**You:** And usually at least fifty percent of the times we plan to hang out - SS

**You:** I'm getting really sick of it - SS

 

**Stranger:** You need a new friend.-DH

 

**You:** I've only really ever had Scott - DH

 

**Stranger:** I know.-DH

 

**You:** I know I need to stop trying - SS

**You:** It's getting pathetic - SS

 

**Stranger:** That boy has too much heart.-DH

 

**You:** You make it sound like you're the wise old elder and he's, like, twelve - SS

 

**Stranger:** It kind of does sound that way.DH

 

**You:** You're, like, six years older than us, dude - SS

 

**Stranger:** I know.-Dh

 

**You:** It's not that big a gap - SS

 

**Stranger:** I know it's not.-DH

 

**You:** So how come you keep pretending to be an actual adult on us? - SS

 

**Stranger:** Because I am an actual adult.-DH

**Stranger:** I own several houses, I pay tax, I have bills. I have a job.-DH

 

 

**You:** Being an adult sounds intimidating and unpleasant - SS

 

**Stranger:** It is. Don't do it.-DH

 

**You:** I kind of can't avoid it, dude - SS

 

**You:** Can't stop time - SS

 

**Stranger:** You've got some time left though.-DH

 

**You:** Yeah, like a year if you count by graduation, six months if you count by legal age - SS

 

**Stranger:** You won't leave home at legal age though.-DH

 

**You:** This is true - SS

 

**Stranger:** So, you have time.-DH

 

**You:** I do have an income, you know - SS

**You:** Like, I couldn't live on it, but I pay for gas and stuff myself - SS

 

**Stranger:** I suppose I cheated on the whole income front-DH

 

**You:** With the inheritance thing? - SS

 

**Stranger:** Yeah.-DH

 

**You:** Yeah, you're not ever going to be poor - SS

 

**Stranger:** No, I'm really not.-DH

**Stranger:** Unless the stock market crashes. Then I'm fucked.DH

 

**You:** Wouldn't we all be fucked, though? - SS

 

**Stranger:** 80% of my yearly income goes back into that thing. I'd be more screwed-DH

 

**You:** You could keep more in savings? - SS

**You:** Also, you have actual physical wealth - SS

**You:** With the houses and the car and shit - SS

 

**Stranger:** That's true.-DH

 

**You:** We have a mortgage - SS

 

**Stranger:** Still?-DH

 

**You:** My parents didn't buy the house that long before I was born - SS

**You:** And originally, they had two incomes to rely on - SS

 

**Stranger:** I keep forgetting not everyone was like us.-DH

 

**You:** With the generations-old family home? - SS

 

**Stranger:** Yeah.-DH

 

**You:** You've seen Scott's bike, right? - SS

 

 

**Stranger:** Yes. Yes I have.-DH

 

**You:** He's had that since he was thirteen - SS

**You:** The only reason I have a car is because a) she's a beautiful, beautiful junker, and b) I paid for most of her myself - SS

 

**Stranger:** You mean a beautiful accident waiting to happen.-DH

 

**You:** Don't you dare insult my baby - SS

 

**Stranger:** I'm just telling the truth.-DH

 

**You:** She's stood up to more than your car ever would - SS

 

**Stranger:** Point taken.-DH

 

**You:** Seriously, I'd rather a sturdy car that can take a beating than a pretty one - SS

**You:** Anyway, my point was, Scott and I aren't poor, but we aren't anywhere near rich - SS

 

**Stranger:** I'd love to tell you it isn't all it's cracked up to be, but it kind of is.-DH

 

**You:** Nice - SS

**You:** Ugh. College is going to be a bitch to pay for - SS

 

**Stranger:** Yeah, how're you going to do that?-DH

 

**You:** Pray for scholarships and promise my first-born in exchange for a loan - SS

 

**Stranger:** Seems fair.-DH

 

**You:** I'll probably /get/ scholarships - SS

 

**Stranger:** Good.-DH

 

**You:** So long as nothing dramatic comes up, I'll be salutatorian - SS

 

**Stranger:** A what?-DH

 

**You:** Second in my year - SS

 

**Stranger:** Oh.-DH

 

**You:** I keep forgetting you didn't actually graduate - SS

 

**Stranger:** I didn't start period.-DH

 

**You:** What do you mean? - SS

 

**Stranger:** I was enrolled, but I never actually set foot on campus.-DH

 

**You:** Why not? - SS

 

**Stranger:** 95% of my family was murdered.-DH

 

**You:** That was a couple of years before you would have started college, though, right? - SS

 

**Stranger:** No, it was about a month before I would have started.-DH

 

**You:** I thought you were sixteen or seventeen when the fire happened - SS

**You:** Were you super smart or something? - SS

 

**Stranger:** No.-DH

**Stranger:** Admittedly, I was only just 18.-DH

 

**You:** Huh - SS

**You:** So you never went? - SS

 

**Stranger:** So yeah, that was a bit of a road bump.-DH

**Stranger:** No. Not yet.DH

 

**You:** Do you think you will? - SS

**You:** You don't exactly need to, but you're definitely smart enough - SS

 

**Stranger:** I'd like to.-DH

 

**You:** Is there something you want to study? - SS

**You:** Wow, you would hate dorms so much - SS

 

**Stranger:** I think I'd kill my roommate.-DH

**Stranger:** Intentionally or not.-DH

 

**You:** Yeaaaah... - SS

**You:** Don't do dorms - SS

 

**Stranger:** I don't intend to.-DH

 

**You:** How do werewolves deal with the pack thing when they're at college? - SS

 

**Stranger:** Sometimes they travel together.-DH

**Stranger:** I hear it's pretty rough.-DH

 

**You:** I would bet you twenty bucks that none of the others have actually thought about that yet - SS

 

**Stranger:** They probably haven't.-DH

 

**You:** Ugh. That means I probably have to figure it out - SS

**You:** Reckon we could all go to college in San Fran? - SS

 

**Stranger:** If you all get in.-DH

 

**You:** There's like, twenty colleges there - SS

 

**Stranger:** Right then.-DH

 

**You:** It's not impossible - SS

 

**Stranger:** You could do it.-DH

**Stranger:** It'd be easier-DH

 

**You:** Would we be pissing anyone off if we did? - SS

**You:** Are there werewolves in San Fran? - SS

 

**Stranger:** Yeah. A few.-DH

 

**You:** There's gotta be some kind of exception about college kids, though, right? - SS

 

**Stranger:** How do you mean?-DH

 

**You:** To territory stuff - SS

 

**Stranger:** It depends.-DH

 

**You:** Because college kids go all over the country - SS

 

**Stranger:** It really depends on where you go. Usually blow ins like that are ignored.-DH

 

**You:** But if a whole pack shows up... - SS

 

**Stranger:** It really depends on who's city you're in.-DH

 

**You:** So...San Fransisco? - SS

 

**Stranger:** You should be more worried about the vampires.-DH

 

**You:** [delay]

**You:** I wish I could be sure you were messing with me - SS

**You:** How is this my life? - SS

 

**Stranger:** They aren't so bad. They'll leave a wolf alone. You? Not so much.-DH

 

**You:** Joy - SS

 

**Stranger:** The closer to big cities you get, the fewer wolves you'll find. We need space.-DH

 

**You:** Makes sense - SS

**You:** Is it going to be a problem if none of us are looking after the territory here? - SS

 

**Stranger:** I'll keep an eye on things.-DH

 

**You:** It's gonna suck for you, though, isn't it? - SS

 

**Stranger:** I'm used to being alone by this point.-DH

 

**You:** That's not a good thing - SS

**You:** And I'd rather you weren't just coping - SS

 

**Stranger:** I'm okay with it.-DH

 

**You:** [delay] We're gonna set up a schedule for visits - SS

 

**Stranger:** Don't bother-DH

 

**You:** Fuck that. - SS

**You:** We've all got people to visit back here - SS

**You:** We'll just do it on a rotation so someone comes by every weekend - SS

 

**Stranger:** Fine, but don't just do it for my sake.-DH

 

**You:** I'm pretty sure the wolves need their alpha, you know - SS

 

**Stranger:** They do. DH

 

**You:** So, we'll visit you, you'll visit us...it's not like SF is forever away - SS

 

**Stranger:** Though, I think I'd be okay alone.-DH

 

**You:** I'd rather you be better than okay - SS

**You:** College is like four years - SS

**You:** We can't abandon you for that long - SS

 

**Stranger:** I'll be fine.-DH

 

**You:** Stop being stoic and accept that I'm going to win this argument - SS

 

**Stranger:** No, I mean it. I'll be fine.-DH

 

**You:** You literally said it's 'pretty rough' for wolves at college - SS

 

**Stranger:** It is.-DH

 

**You:** But with what I'm thinking, it's you, not them, whose going to be separated from your pack - SS

 

**Stranger:** I've been through it before.-DH

 

**You:** So? - SS

 

**Stranger:** So, it's not that awful.-DH

 

**You:** Actually, though? - SS

**You:** This isn't like that time you were pretending it was no big deal that I could see your guts? - SS

 

**Stranger:** (Delay) This is kind of like that time.-DH

 

**You:** Thank you! - SS

**You:** Dude, you have to tell me when there's a problem before I can fix it - SS

 

**Stranger:** I'll handle it.-DH

 

**You:** No-one doubts your ability to cope with the massive pile of shit that life flings at your face on the regular, dude - SS

 

**Stranger:** Then stop trying to make it better.-DH

 

**You:** Um, no - SS

 

**Stranger:** Please?-DH

 

**You:** Why? - SS

 

**Stranger:** I don't like people making such a fuss.-DH

 

**You:** Making a fuss? - SS

 

**Stranger:** Yeah.-DH

 

**You:** Dude, I know you're not used to this, but this is just me caring about you - SS

**You:** I do this to literally everyone - SS

 

**Stranger:** I'm fine on my own.-DH

 

**You:** Jesus Christ, this is like banging my head on a brick wall - SS

 

**Stranger:** Then you should stop.-DH

 

**You:** So. - SS

**You:** You know it pisses me off when you guys get all weird about me getting hurt, right? - SS

**You:** I had a clumsy childhood, I've dealt with this shit before - SS

 

**Stranger:** There's a clumsy childhood, and then there's life now.-DH

 

**You:** Yeah, but you have no /idea/ how much shit I got into when I was eight - SS

**You:** And eleven. Eleven was a bad year for bones - SS

**You:** The growth spurt when I was thirteen was pretty awful, and I'd just started getting into lacrosse, too - SS

**You:** Point is, it's not that bad - SS

 

**Stranger:** Okay. Point taken, you can take a hit.-DH

 

**You:** I haven't gone into hospital for anything worse than bones and stitches, so I'm fine - SS

**You:** You guys really, really don't need to worry about it - SS

 

**Stranger:** But we do.-DH

 

**You:** Even though I'm fine on my own - SS

**You:** And I'd rather you just ignored it as much as possible - SS

 

**Stranger:** No, because you don't just heal like we do.-DH

 

**You:** And I get that - SS

**You:** I think it's unnecessary and kind of annoying, but I let you fuss over me because I know why you worry - SS

 

**Stranger:** Because you're human, and squishy-DH

 

**You:** Gee, thanks - SS

**You:** Squishy - SS

**You:** My favourite adjective - SS

 

**Stranger:** It's a good word-DH

 

**You:** Anyway, my point is...I'm human, and therefore squishy, so you worry, and I let you - SS

**You:** You're a wolf, and therefore need pack, so I worry, and you...won't let me - SS

 

**Stranger:** You should get used to it.-DH

 

**You:** [delay]

**You:** You're shit at pack - SS

 

**Stranger:** I know.-DH

 

**You:** Then fix it - SS

 

**Stranger:** I don't think I want to.-DH

 

**You:** Why the fuck not? - SS

 

**Stranger:** I just want to be left alone.-DH

 

**You:** Well, tough shit - SS

**You:** You're an alpha now - SS

 

**Stranger:** Not technically.-DH

 

**You:** Why not? You've got the eyes, you've got territory, you've got betas - SS

 

**Stranger:** I make a poor leader.-DH

 

**You:** Then get better - Ss

**You:** It's a skill, you can learn it - SS

 

**Stranger:** Can we not have this discussion?-DH

 

**You:** Dude, I am literally the only one that calls you on this shit - SS

**You:** I don't know if it's because I'm human, or because I knew you before you were alpha, or because I'm generally irreverent, or what - SS

**You:** But this is a problem, you /know/ this is a problem - SS

**You:** So unless you're fixing it on your own, we're going to fucking talk about it - SS

 

**Stranger:** Fine. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. I'm leading around a bunch of teenagers who have about a micron less control than I do, hoping that things might work out.-DH

 

**You:** You're not terrible, you know - SS

 

**Stranger:** I'm not exactly winning any awards either.-DH

 

**You:** So? - SS

**You:** You don't have to be - SS

**You:** 'Good enough' is good enough - SS

 

**Stranger:** So, I'm totally lost-DH

**Stranger:** But it's not when there are other people involved.-DH

 

**You:** It is, actually - SS

 

**Stranger:** No, it really isn't.-DH

 

**You:** Look, my dad was fucked up when Mom died, okay? - SS

**You:** He worked a lot, he drank a lot - SS

**You:** I was twelve, and I was living off sympathy casseroles as the state of the house got worse and worse - SS

**You:** Eventually I got so sick of it that I taught myself how to cook and clean - SS

**You:** And after a while, we both got better - SS

**You:** And I don't blame my dad for any of that, and it didn't ruin our relationship, and I still love him and he still loves me - SS

 

**Stranger:** I get what you're trying to say-DH

 

**You:** But you don't agree? - SS

 

**Stranger:** No, I just don't see how to get there.-DH

 

**You:** To get to the place where it's better? - SS

 

**Stranger:** Yeah.-DH

 

**You:** I never knew either - SS

 

**Stranger:** And it just happened?-DH

 

**You:** Eventually - SS

**You:** Slowly - SS

 

**Stranger:** I don't think I get eventually.-D

 

**You:** Why not? - SS

 

**Stranger:** It either works or it doesn't with these things.-DH

 

**You:** With pack? - SS

 

**Stranger:** Yeah.-DH

 

**You:** Isn't it like family, though? - SS

**You:** There's a pretty big spectrum between 'perfect' and 'shit' with family - SS

 

**Stranger:** Yeah, it is, but it needs to work.-DH

 

**You:** What do you mean by 'work'? - SS

**You:** Is what we have not working? - SS

 

**Stranger:** It is. Yeah, it is. No one's murdered someone else yet.-DH

 

**You:** I'm pretty sure we can maintain /that/ standard - SS

 

**Stranger:** Sometimes I wonder.-DH

 

**You:** Nah. We'll keep em in line - SS

 

**Stranger:** We?-DH

 

Yeah. We. - SS


	24. Intelligent Conversation

**You:** Dating sucks - SS

 

**Stranger:** Why's that? DH

 

**You:** Either they're boring, or they think I'm weird - SS

**You:** Or both - SS

 

**Stranger:** How many dates have you been on? DH

 

**You:** Eleven - SS

**You:** Two were second dates - SS

 

**Stranger:** So you're just going to conclude with that? DH

 

**You:** I'm going to stop going on dates for a while, anyway - SS

**You:** I mean, if I meet someone I actually really /like/, then sure - SS

**You:** But I've mostly been dating because I don't want to be single - SS

**You:** Which, I admit, is probably contributing to the awfulness of the dates - SS

 

**Stranger:** I see. DH

 

**You:** Did you date at all? In New York and stuff - SS

**You:** Am I just doing it wrong? - SS

 

**Stranger:** Everyone does it differently. Personally, I don't find myself to be social enough for dating. DH

 

**You:** Yeah, I guess I get that - SS

**You:** I find it hard to imagine you making small talk and telling vaguely amusing anecdotes - SS

 

**Stranger:** I try to avoid those. DH

 

**You:** Yeah - SS

**You:** It's just...I want to have an actual conversation - SS

**You:** About things I'm interested in - SS

 

**Stranger:** Such as? DH

 

**You:** God, practically anything - SS

**You:** You know me, what I'm interested in changes every three minutes - SS

 

**Stranger:** I don't understand how that's a problem then. If you can talk about anything, how is that messed up on a date? DH

 

**You:** Cuttlefish mating habits and the conversion of Iceland and the Chinese rabbit god and the interactions between race and socio-economic status and... - SS

**You:** Because people on dates are generally expected not to go off on tangents about blood spatter patterns - SS

**You:** Or ducks having corkscrew dicks - SS

**You:** Normal people don't actually care about the dinosaur wars - SS

 

**Stranger:** Dinosaur wars? DH

 

**You:** Almost all the most popular and famous dinosaurs were found by these two American palaeontologists in the 19th century who were constantly trying to one-up each other - SS

**You:** They discovered about eighty new species between them - SS

**You:** They literally spent all their money paying fossil hunters - SS

**You:** Bribing them to send /them/ the fossils they found instead of the other guy, that sort of thing - SS

 

**Stranger:** Oh. I assumed you were going to try and convince me dinosaurs were intelligent enough to assign generals. DH

 

**You:** No - SS

**You:** Although that would be awesome - SS

**You:** No, this was a legit thing - SS

 

**Stranger:** I know. I've read about that. Between Edward Cope and O.C. Marsh. DH

 

**You:** Yeah, those guys - SS

 

**Stranger:** I also knew about duck genitalia. They actually lose their dicks in the fall, then regrow them in the spring. The size actually depends on the number of males in a territory. More males, bigger corkscrew. DH

**Stranger:** As for blood spatters, think we can learn a lot from Dexter. DH

 

**You:** I did not know about ducks losing their dicks - SS

**You:** That's awesome and horrifying - SS

 

**Stranger:** Nature is awesome and horrifying. DH

 

**You:** In general, yes - SS

**You:** Wasps in particular - SS

 

**Stranger:** You don't like wasps? DH

 

**You:** Practically every kind of wasp out there reproduces in terrifying ways that remind me of Alien - SS

 

**Stranger:** Well, most are eusocial. DH

 

**You:** That doesn't make them any less terrifying - SS

**You:** Not as they apply to /me/, just in general - SS

 

**Stranger:** I think they're rather curious. DH

 

**You:** Noooo - SS

**You:** Toads that bounce are curious - SS

**You:** Tarantulas that keep frogs to eat insects are curious - SS

 

**Stranger:** Toads don't bounce. DH

**Stranger:** Mutualism is beneficial. DH

 

**You:** There is totally a species of toad that bounces - SS

**You:** I shit you not - SS

 

**Stranger:** What species? DH

 

**You:** Can't remember the name. It lives up on some isolated plateau in South America, I think - SS

 

**Stranger:** Huh. Venezuela Pebble Toad. It's a defense mechanism. I apologize. DH

 

**You:** Apology accepted - SS

 

**Stranger:** You're quite curious about animals. DH

 

**You:** I'm curious about a lot of things - SS

**You:** But animals are great - SS

 

**Stranger:** They are quite diverse. DH

 

**You:** They're ridiculous - SS

**You:** wtf evolution is one of my favourite blogs - SS

 

**Stranger:** There's a blog about evolution? DH

 

**You:** It's about all the ridiculous animals that are just weird - SS

**You:** Like the lizard that shoots blood from its eye as a defense mechanism - SS

 

**Stranger:** Have you ever read Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species'? DH

 

**You:** No - SS

**You:** I really should someday - SS

 

**Stranger:** You should. DH

You know the Crocodile Icefish has no hemoglobin? DH

 

**You:** Oh, cool - SS

**You:** Would that make its blood a weird colour? - SS

 

**Stranger:** It's translucent. It's the only vertebrate to survive without it. DH

 

**You:** That's really weird

**You:** You know horseshoe crabs have blue blood? - SS

 

**Stranger:** For real, or just the veins? DH

 

**You:** No, their blood is actually blue - SS

**You:** And it's got special properties that we use to test the safety of medicines and stuff - SS

 

**Stranger:** It probably has hemocyanin. Horseshoe crabs aren't vertebrates, so they technically don't need hemoglobin. DH

 

**You:** You know a ridiculous amount about these things - SS

**You:** I mean, everyone knows I'm kind of into trivia - SS

 

**Stranger:** I took a class on Vertebrate Biology and kept the book. DH

 

**You:** Huh - SS

 

**Stranger:** You should take a class like that. The test is basically reforming the phylogenic tree from tunicates to mammals, but I learned a lot. DH

**Stranger:** Pretty sure we talked about the horned lizard. DH

 

**You:** I have no idea what I'll major in, you know? - SS

**You:** Too many awesome things - SS

 

**Stranger:** I majored in business. Doesn't mean you can't branch off. DH

 

**You:** I'm leaning towards history, honestly - SS

 

**Stranger:** What career options are there? DH

 

**You:** Ugh. Fine. Be practical. - SS

 

**Stranger:** I'm just thinking ahead. DH

**Stranger:** You could be a historian. DH

 

**You:** I do not have the focus to be an academic - SS

 

**Stranger:** Sure you do. DH

 

**You:** You think so? - SS

 

**Stranger:** I know you can. You can do anything you set your mind to. DH

 

**You:** [delay] Thanks - SS

 

**Stranger:** You're welcome. DH

 

**You:** You're a pretty great conversationalist, you know that? - SS

 

**Stranger:** It's easier over text. DH

 

**You:** More time to think? - SS

 

**Stranger:** I suppose. More so I remember I'm alone in my living room. DH

 

**You:** And that helps? - SS

 

**Stranger:** In a way. DH

 

**You:** How? - SS

 

**Stranger:** When I'm alone, there's no other situation to concern myself with. No unexpected, if you will. DH

 

**You:** I guess that makes sense - SS

 

**Stranger:** It's stupid really. DH

 

**You:** No, I get it - SS

**You:** I mean, you've got issues, we all know that - SS

**You:** It makes sense that you're more comfortable when you've got control over your surroundings and stuff - SS

 

**Stranger:** It's not ideal. DH

 

**You:** Yeah, well, I need chemical enhancements in order to function at all like a regular person, and I'm still anxious as fuck - SS

 

**Stranger:** I suppose everyone has their flaws. DH

 

**You:** Gee, that's a flattering way to put it - SS

 

**Stranger:** Sorry. DH

 

**You:** It's fine. If I couldn't deal with you being tactless, we wouldn't be friends in the first place - SS

 

**Stranger:** I still question that. DH

 

**You:** Question what? - SS

 

**Stranger:** Why you chose to be friends with me. DH

 

**You:** Because I, too, am tactless, have issues, am mostly a loner, am cynical and sarcastic, and know what it's like to fight for my life against a fucking alpha werewolf - SS

 

 

**Stranger:** Similarities then. DH

 

**You:** And I like you - SS

**You:** Unlike most people, you give me an intellectual run for my money - SS

**You:** see this entire conversation - SS

 

**Stranger:** Interesting. What about Martin? DH

 

**You:** Why do you think I was into her in the first place? - SS

 

**Stranger:** Point taken. DH

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're up to date again! Thanks for your patience


	25. If It's Not One Thing, It's Another

**You:** Vampires. Seriously, why vampires? - SS

What is /wrong/ with this town? - SS

**Stranger:** They didn't call it beacon hills for nothing.-DH

**You:** Someday I'll figure out a way to fix that - SS

**You:** The tree, I mean - SS

**You:** It's definitely the tree's fault - S

**Stranger:** Good luck. I'm pretty sure it's always been that way.-DH

**You:** [delay] Do you actually /want/ me to explain why I think it's fixable, or would you rather focus on the vampires? - SS

**You:** Because we could just focus on the vampires - SS

**Stranger:** Did they talk to you?-DH

**You:** They've been hovering in my peripherals and leering at me when I go out - SS

**You:** Haven't made contact yet - SS

**Stranger:** Okay, so it's definitely not Beth.-DH

**You:** Beth? - SS

**Stranger:** Old friend. She and her brood would stop by every so often.-DH

**You:** Brood is a weird collective noun - SS

**You:** And of course you have vampire friends - SS

**Stranger:** I have all sorts of friends. Benefit of growing up here.-DH

**You:** Some day you will tell me about these friends of yours - SS

**You:** But I guess now isn't the time - SS

**Stranger:** No, now we need to deal with some vampires.-DH

**You:** Who want to eat me - SS

**You:** Probably - SS

**You:** I'm getting that kind of vibe - SS

**Stranger:** Sounds about right.-DH

**You:** Is it a virgin thing or a spark thing or a pack human thing, do you think? - SS

**You:** Because I can see all three of those making me a vampire target - SS

**Stranger:** Generally vampires won't feed on anything related to us.-DH

**You:** So why the looks? - SS

**Stranger:** Maybe you just smell good.-DH

**You:** Ugh. Typical. - SS

**You:** Reckon I can fix this with awful perfume? - SS

**Stranger:** No.-DH

**You:** Of course I can't. Life is never easy. - SS

**You:** Alright then. How do we get rid of vampires, o experienced one? - SS

**Stranger:** I've never had to get rid of them.DH

**You:** You've gotta know /something/ though, right? - SS

**You:** About rules they follow, or things that hurt them, or whatever? - SS

**You:** Like, anyone with a werewolf friend would know about pack and territory and alphas - SS

**Stranger:** Daylight, silver.-DH

**You:** Silver works on them but not you? That's weird. - SS

**Stranger:** I didn't really discuss how to kill my friend with her. And vampires don't have the kind of codes we do.-DH

**You:** But they don't mess with werewolves? - SS

**You:** Usually? - SS

**Stranger:** Not unless there's a territory dispute.-DH

**You:** Do you think this will /become/ a territory dispute? - SS

**Stranger:** No, we were here first.-DH

**You:** So they don't have the right? - SS

**Stranger:** No, not really. Unless they have the numbers.-DH

**You:** So, we need to figure out how many of them there are, make sure we know how to kill them, and...arrange a meeting? - SS

**Stranger:** I'll talk to them.-DH

**You:** Just you? Wouldn't it be better to have the pack with you? - SS

**Stranger:** It's traditional to send an envoy-DH

**You:** Like an emissary? - SS

**Stranger:** No. Just a representative.-DH

**You:** Will it work for us or against us if it's the alpha? - SS

**Stranger:** Depends if it comes to combat or not.-DH

**You:** [delay] Please tell me you'll bring backup - SS

**Stranger:** I'll be fine.-DH

**You:** Last I checked, you didn't have silver-tipped claws - SS

**Stranger:** I do not. But I can behead them.-DH

**You:** Please bring backup - SS

**Stranger:** They can't go with me.-DH

**You:** Why not? - SS

**Stranger:** You meet alone.-DH

**You:** Just you and one vampire? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah-DH

**You:** Okay - SS

**You:** But I want the pack near enough that we can get there if you howl, just in case - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, they can wait close by.-DH

**Stranger:** But you aren't coming.DH

**You:** Derek, you've got to stop excluding me every time we do this - SS

**Stranger:** You're edible.-DH

**You:** I'm also magic - SS

**You:** Allison will be there - SS

**Stranger:** No. Absolutely not.-DH

**You:** Silver-tipped arrows - SS

**Stranger:** ...Fair point.-DH

**Stranger:** Still, it' a risk I'm not sure I want to take.-DH

**You:** Then let her decide if she wants to take it - SS

**You:** She's experienced enough now to decide what she will and won't do - SS

**Stranger:** I'm not saying she's not capable. I know she is. It's just different with these things when food is involved.DH

**You:** The risks are: turn, death, mind-control-by-vamp (is that a thing?), or generic supernatural battle injury, right? - SS

**You:** Death and injury are normal - SS

**Stranger:** Renfields. My dad called them Renfields.-DH

**You:** Of course he did - SS

**You:** Is it irreversible? - SS

**Stranger:** No. You can be brought out of it, but it's not easy to break.-DH

**You:** Not easy, like...Scott resisting Peter? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, yeah, a bit like that.-DH

**You:** Are werewolves immune? - SS

**Stranger:** Yes.-DH

**Stranger:** We're also toxic.-DH

**You:** Hmm - SS

**You:** I wonder if I could make Allison smell like a werewolf - SS

**Stranger:** Just get Scott to roll all over her.-DH

**You:** Would that fool a vampire, though? - SS

**Stranger:** If she was far enough away, yeah.-DH

**You:** How far is 'far enough'? - SS

**Stranger:** hundred feet.-DH

**You:** Is that just because of the scent, or are there other things they'll notice if she gets closer? - SS

**Stranger:** It's mostly smell.-DH

**You:** I can definitely work up a better solution than Scott rolling all over her - SS

**You:** Remember the scent masking potion? - SS

**Stranger:** What do you have in mind?-DH

**Stranger:** Yes.-DH

**You:** It wouldn't work if it didn't adapt to whatever scents you picked up while wearing it - SS

**You:** It's adaptive, and part of how it works is to 'recognise' scents and cancel them out specifically - SS

**You:** I think I can find a way to make a generic 'werewolf' scent that doesn't read specifically of any of you - SS

**You:** Based on that potion, and a couple of others - SS

**Stranger:** Rolling sounds a lot easier.DH

**You:** Yeah, but once I work this out once, we can keep using it - SS

**You:** It'll work on me or Allison or Lydia, or whoever else we need to disguise - SS

**You:** I mean, I may not get it done for /this/ - SS

**Stranger:** But you're working on it.-DH

**You:** I'm definitely going to - SS

**You:** You know, once I figure out how to make humans smell like werewolves, I can probably come up with a variant that makes werewolves smell human - SS

**Stranger:** I can see that being useful.-DH

**You:** See? I have good ideas - SS

**Stranger:** You do.-DH

**You:** So...Allison? Arrows? - SS

**You:** You'll talk to her? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. I'll talk to her.-DH

**You:** Good -SS

**You:** Make sure Scott isn't there when you do, or he'll freak out at you - SS

**Stranger:** Hope she doesn't shoot me.-DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, I know he will.-DH

**You:** She won't shoot you - SS

**You:** She likes you a lot better now - SS

**Stranger:** I'm glad.-DH

**You:** It certainly makes our lives easier - SS

**Stranger:** It's strange.-DH

**You:** Allison liking you? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. Her dad too.-DH

**Stranger:** Considering not that long ago we were at war.-DH

**You:** I don't know if 'war' is the right word for it - SS

**You:** But I get what you mean - SS

**Stranger:** I mean before either she or I were around.-DH

**You:** Didn't the war start with Gerard? - SS

**Stranger:** No. It's been going on for a long time.-DH

**You:** Well, wars do end - SS

**You:** Like Greece and Turkey - SS

**You:** It took a couple of massive earthquakes, but... - SS

**Stranger:** I'm optimistic-DH

**You:** Yay. Optimism - SS

**Stranger:** I think we've all had enough of fighting._DH

**You:** God yes - SS

**You:** So far past enough - SS

**You:** Hence the tree-fixing-plans - SS

**Stranger:** With any luck I'll be able to settle a few old treaties back into place.DH

**You:** Treaties sound good - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, it'll keep everyone in line. Mostly.-DH

**You:** And if I can get the nemeton stabilized, BH will be more like a beacon and less like a siren-song for supernatural douchebags - SS

**Stranger:** Like it used to be.-DH

**You:** Yeah. Before the tree was cut down - SS

**You:** That's what caused it - SS

**You:** Even if it took a while to actually /start/ - SS

**Stranger:** Well yeah - DH

**You:** I think what's happened is that the tree's been accumulating magic, and there's been nowhere for it to go - SS

**You:** The roots are in the ley lines, right? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah-DH

**You:** When it was alive, the magic came in through the roots, and saturated the whole tree, so it got 'exhaled' through the tree's respiration, and leaves and bark and acorns dropping off and being eaten and stuff - SS

**You:** It made the magic of the lines accessible by breathing it into the whole woods around it - SS

**Stranger:** So, it's like a nuclear meltdown.-DH

**You:** What? - SS

**Stranger:** It's spewed a bunch of bad shit into the air.-DH

**You:** No, that's kinda the opposite - SS

**You:** It's supposed to be constantly spewing good shit into the air - SS

**Stranger:** Oh, but because it's been wrecked, it's on reverse.-DH

**You:** And instead we've got a super-powered stump that can't do anything to get rid of the magic except be really, really magically loud - SS

**You:** Magic in large concentrations attracts other magic - SS

**You:** It's kinda like how gravity works - SS

**You:** Magical people end up in places with a large magical 'mass', and thus strong magical 'gravity' - SS

**You:** Beacon Hills is /normally/ one of those places, but right now we're a black hole - SS

**Stranger:** That explains a lot.-DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**You:** I've been working on this for a while - SS

**You:** Because I've been looking through the news reports and stuff, and it's /never/ been this bad - SS

**Stranger:** No, it used to be pretty great.-DH

**You:** Part of that was the Hale Pack - SS

**You:** You guys have been looking after this town forever - SS

**You:** But a lot of it is the tree - SS

**Stranger:** Was a good system.-DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**You:** Anyway, I'm fairly sure I'll be able to figure out a way to fix it - SS

**Stranger:** I hope so. DH

**You:** I figure, if there's enough magic in the stump to turn BH into a black hole, there's enough magic in the stump to regrow the tree - SS

**You:** At least get a sprout going - SS

**Stranger:** Good luck with the gardening.DH

**You:** Funny. - SS

**You:** Once it's growing again, the magic will start bleeding off - SS

**Stranger:** And there'll be less wendigoes and maybe the Fae will come back.-DH

**You:** You never told me there used to be fae here - SS

**You:** And yeah, they couldn't live with the woods like this - SS

**Stranger:** Ley Lines. Makes a nice portal.-DH

**You:** Fae walk where they will, so long as there's magic in the air - SS

**Stranger:** True, but it's easier if they have a nice door.-DH

**Stranger:** Especially for the big guys.-DH

**You:** What do you mean, 'big guys'? - SS

**You:** Because that sounds ominous - SS

**Stranger:** The Erlking, Sidhe.-DH

 

 

**You:** Jesus. We'd better not end up with the Morrigan in our woods - SS

**Stranger:** She's a giant bitch.-DH

**You:** She's freakin' /scary/ - SS

**You:** Like, my mental image of the Morrigan is Lydia times ten - SS

**Stranger:** I'm more afraid of Lydia.-DH

**You:** How? The Morrigan is a /psychopomp/, Derek. She /collects the dead/. - SS

**Stranger:** She only collects them.-DH

**Stranger:** Be thankful we don't live on the ocean.DH

**You:** God yeah - SS

**You:** Too many scary ocean things - SS

**You:** Was there a local Green Man, when you were small? - SS

**Stranger:** I think so, yeah.-DH

**You:** /That's/ someone I'd like to meet - SS

**Stranger:** If you were nice to the brownies, they'd fix things for you.-DH

**You:** It's always a trade-off, the Fae. Between ones like brownies, and ones like red-caps - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, we had a lot of those.-DH

**You:** I suppose at the very least they're manageable - SS

**Stranger:** Depends how much blood was split.-DH

**You:** Yeah, but we can find a way to deal with them - SS

**You:** Especially if we know they're around - SS

**You:** And there's a lot of iron in the world these days - SS

**You:** We'll find a way - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, that drives them away.-DH

**Stranger:** Which is good but also bad.-DH

**You:** Why is it bad? - SS

**Stranger:** Keeps away the not so bad ones.-DH

**You:** We can go to the woods to meet them - SS

**Stranger:** If they come.-DH

**You:** It may take a while, depending on what I manage to figure out with the tree - SS

**Stranger:** Maybe they might help.-DH

**You:** The local Green Man would, I think, if we could contact him. But the woods are barren right now -SS

**You:** You probably can't feel it - SS

**Stranger:** No, I can.-DH

**You:** I'm just glad I'm a spark and not a druid - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, that'd be awful.-DH

**You:** Still, I suspect I'll be more effective with more magic in the air - SS

**You:** Which would be cool - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, it will be.-DH

**You:** I don't think I can do anything until next Beltane, though - SS

**You:** For one, I don't have the spell/ritual planned out yet - SS

**You:** But I'll want whatever help I can get - SS

**You:** The nemeton's kind of pissy, these days - SS

**Stranger:** I don't really know anyone in that business anymore I'm afraid.DH

**You:** Nah, I'll manage - SS

**You:** Strangers won't make it any easier - SS

**You:** The nemeton knows me, at the very least - SS

**You:** And it knows you - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, it would.-DH

**You:** But there'll be magic in the air on Beltane, and if the fae are inclined to help, they'll be able - SS

**You:** It's a good day for regrowth and new beginnings - SS

**You:** I mean, winter solstice is good for new beginnings too, but not for a tree - SS

**Stranger:** There was a Sidhe rather partial to that tree. Maybe you could ask her.-DH

**You:** Give me a name I can use and I'll get Lydia to help me contact her - SS

**Stranger:** Her name was Sarissa. At least that's why she told me.-DH

**You:** I can work with that - SS

**Stranger:** She was with the seelie court.-DH

**You:** Oh good - SS

**You:** The seelie are /much/ easier to deal with - SS

**Stranger:** I know.-DH

**You:** Okay. So. I'll work on the wolf-scent potion; you talk to Allison; pack-meeting re vampires; vampire confrontation; I'll work on not-wolf-scent potion; me and Lydia will get in touch with Sarissa; and next Beltane we'll try to fix the tree - SS

**Stranger:** But first, vampires.-DH

**You:** Yeah. Joy. - SS

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the missed update last week - there'll be two today to make up for it. Hopefully I'll get around to updating the tags for the last few chapters in the next couple of days as well. Hope you enjoyed it!


	26. What the Ear Don't Hear, the Heart Won't Grieve Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> deaf Stiles, pre-slash, supportive Derek, disability

You've been acting weird ever since you found out. Stop.-SS

I'm sorry, I'm just...adjusting - DH

Why would you have to adjust? Things were working fine before you knew.-SS

But I didn't know - DH

So? I don't need you to treat me like some broken doll. I'm fine.-SS

I know /that/ - DH

Then why are you changing things on me?-SS

Because I haven't done this before and I don't know what I'm doing? - DH

Look dude you just have to make sure I'm looking at you when you want to talk to me.-SS

Okay - DH

Other than that I'm okay with what you are doing. Honestly just treat me like you have been.-SS

There's nothing I should do to...help? - DH

Um no? I don't need help.-SS

And I don't want it. I'm not incapable of taking care of myself.-SS

I know that - DH

Then stop asking if I need help. Okay?-SS

I didn't mean it that way - DH

How did you mean it?-SS

I meant like...the way you always used to carry a spare inhaler for Scott's asthma, just in case - DH

He didn't /need/ help, but it was a way for you /to/ help - DH

I really don't know. I have the alert system in my house and I don't have hearing aids so I don't need batteries.-SS

Okay - DH

Can I...I don't know, warn you if people are coming up behind you? Is that a thing? - DH

Or let you know if someone's talking to you and you don't notice?- DH

Sure. For the most part I know but I guess sometimes I zone out.-SS

...you know I already make - allowances isn't the right word - DH

What?-SS

I've never been human, Stiles, and I grew up among wolves - DH

There are all kinds of things I notice that you don't - DH

Like what?-SS

Well, to me, you're nose-blind - DH

nose-blind?-SS

Humans /think/ they can smell things, but they have no idea how much information there is in scent - DH

Could you tell I'm deaf and have ADHD from my smell?-SS

Not deaf - DH

I picked up on the Adderall, but I didn't know what it was because I hadn't encountered the scent before - DH

Interesting. What else do I miss? Is some of the things specifically what I miss?-SS

A lot of it's just...information - DH

The stray cat on your street that seems weirdly fond of your porch, but doesn't care about your yard - DH

It's pretty warm on my porch. The heat gets trapped there.-SS

That would explain it - DH

Whether your dad's hugged you that day, whether he's gone to the diner for lunch instead of eating what you packed - DH

What you did in chemistry, if you had class that day - DH

When you've been cooking - DH

And you've noticed all of those?-SS

Sure - DH

When I go to the grocery store, I can tell if anyone from the pack has been there that day - DH

Then you must realize I spend alot of time there.-SS

Yeah - DH

You seem to really like the biscuit aisle, but I've never seen them in the house - DH

My mom used to make them all the time. Everytime I try they are wrong.-SS

I know how that goes - DH

 

But I do know whether I've hugged my dad each day and I definitely know when my dad eats out. I know you tend to forget how observant humans can be but when one sense is gone the others tend to work overtime. SS

That's not what I meant - DH

It's not that you don't notice these things, that you can't - DH

Oh. I think I understand. You can tell because of the smell, right?-SS

Yes. That's all what I get from scent. - DH

That makes sense.-SS

Humans can figure that stuff out in other ways, but they get so little from scent - DH

Yeah I guess so. My sight and touch is the best.-SS

I rely on those a lot less - DH

They're still really important, but with scent and sound I can know what's happening at a distance, or happened in the past - DH

That makes a lot of sense. I just rather have my normal scent because I would get distracted.-SS

Mm. Just because you can see stuff doesn't mean you're looking at it, though. Scent's the same. - DH

I guess so. People say I stare into their soul apparently.-SS

I can see that. You can be kind of intense - DH

Oh yeah? I'm just a teddy bear.-SS

That is the least accurate description of you ever - DH

I need examples.-SS

Of inaccurate descriptions? - DH

Of how I'm intense.-SS

Oh - DH

Mostly it's not a thing - DH

You keep a lot of stuff going at the surface - DH

I have no clue what that means.-SS

With the way you talk, and move, and jump from topic to topic - DH

At first glance you seem light-hearted - DH

 

Oh. You realize that's because there's alot going on in my head right?-SS

Yeah, I know - DH

But the stuff that really matters to you often doesn't show - DH

Huh. Never realized.-SS

So when it does, it's kind of...surprising - DH

Huh. Guess it's pretty surprising I'm such a pessimist.-SS

Not surprising - DH

But you come across as fairly cheerful - DH

Someone has to in the group when you are being the grump.-SS

Just...know that I know when you're faking it - DH

Whatever you say sourwolf.-SS

Anyway. When you get focused on things, the contrast is...impressive - DH

Are you by my porch?-SS

 [delay]

It's a distinct possibility - DH

You tripped the light sensor.-SS

Maybe it was the cat - DH

The doors unlocked. Just come in.-SS

 [delay]

Thanks -DH

Make me some more popcorn when you come in.-SS

You're demanding - DH

I can't hear the microwave go off. I have to stare at it.-SS

Huh. - DH

I wouldn't have thought of that - DH

So are you coming in? I'm putting in Guardians of the Galaxy.-SS

...watching movies in cinema must suck for you - DH

Yeah, I'm coming - DH

They have accommodations for me.-SS

I suppose living in a small town has to have /some/ advantages - Dh

Yeah it's not a terrible life. Just different and when I get money I'm eligible for hearing aids.-SS

They're expensive? - DH

Yeah. The type I need are beyond expensive.-SS

I'm sorry - DH

We're not exactly at the stage where I can offer to pay for them, but just so you know, the sentiment's there - DH

I wouldn’t want you to.-SS

You know I've got money. You know I hate spending it. - DH

If you ever need...just ask - DH

No. I can do it myself.-SS

I get it - DH

You've always been one of the most stubbornly independent people I've ever known - DH

Yeah. Are you coming in or what?-SS

 

Sorry – DH

Just a sec - DH

 


	27. You're Mine, I'm Yours

 

 

**You:** We need to talk - SS

**Stranger:** Could you have made that sound more ominous? -DH

**You:** ...yeah, probably not - SS

**You:** But seriously - SS

**Stranger:** Fine. So talk. -DH

**You:** [delay] You need to be less possessive of me - SS

**Stranger:** I'm not...possessive. -DH

**You:** You really are - SS

**You:** You act like you own me - SS

**Stranger:** I don't...mean to. -DH

**Stranger:** Am I really like that? -DH

**You:** Not always - SS

**You:** But kind of, yeah - SS

**Stranger:** ...can I have an example? -DH

**You:** Like the way you get weird when I have /anyone/ else's scent on me - SS

**You:** And you scowl at baristas and stuff when they talk to me - SS

**Stranger:** I don't like you smelling like other people, that's all... -DH  
Scott's scent I don't mind, and your dad's. Melissa's. -DH  
And that barista was flirting with you! -DH

**You:** Yeah, so? - SS

**Stranger:** ...she looked a lot like Lydia. -DH

**You:** [delay]

**You:** Can you see why I think we need to talk about this? - SS

**Stranger:** ...yeah. -DH

**Stranger:** I'm sorry. -DH

**You:** Why does it actually bother you so much? - SS

**You:** Why are you so obsessed with marking me and shit? - SS

**Stranger:** I...-DH

**Stranger:** [delay] Because you should be with someone else. -DH

**You:** What? - SS

**You:** No - SS

**You:** What do you mean? - SS

**Stranger:** You should be with someone like...Lydia, or the cute barista, or that stupid pre-med student at that restaurant. -DH  
Someone...young, and whole, and...good. -DH

**You:** Derek... -SS

**Stranger:** And I...I see that, and I just...it hurts so bad, I get scared. -DH

**Stranger:** I'm sorry. -DH

**You:** Why didn't you tell me you felt this way? - SS

**Stranger:** I didn't want you to feel guilty when you decided you could do better. -DH

**You:** Derek, no - SS

**You:** I can't do better than the man I love who makes me happy - SS

**Stranger:** You can. I'm...broken, I'm possessive and moody and closed off, I'm jealous and I don't know how to talk about my feelings... -dH

**You:** I'm not exactly picture perfect either - SS

**Stranger:** You're better than me. -DH

**You:** Derek, I love you - SS

**You:** You're not perfect, and I'm not perfect, but the two of us together...we get pretty close - SS

**You:** I don't plan on leaving you any time soon - SS

**You:** I don't plan on leaving you - SS

**Stranger:** ..I love you too. -DH

**Stranger:** I'll...try to be better. -DH

**You:** Just...remember that I feel lucky to have you - SS

**You:** [delay]

**You:** Would it help if I wore something? - SS

**Stranger:** What? -DH

**Stranger:** Wore something, you mean...like a ring? -DH

**You:** Ring, bracelet, necklace - SS

**You:** Something to show I was yours - SS

**Stranger:** ...maybe. I think I'd like that. -DH

**You:** I could get something with a triskelion, maybe? - SS

**You:** Or you could? - SS

**Stranger:** I'll get you something. -DH

**You:** Can I get you something too? - SS

**Stranger:** If you want. -DH

**You:** If you get to stake a claim on me, I get to stake mine on you - SS

**Stranger:** Sure. Yeah, I'd like that. -DH

**You:** People don't belong to other people. But we belong /with/ each other - SS

**Stranger:** I like the sound of that. -DH

**You:** Good - SS

**You:** I'm sorry I didn't realise you were scared - SS

**Stranger:** No, don't be sorry. I'm sorry I didn't talk to you. -DH

**You:** It's okay - SS

**You:** I get it - SS

**Stranger:** I love you, okay? -DH

**You:** I never doubted it - SS

**Stranger:** Are we good? -DH

**You:** We're fine - SS

**Stranger:** Fine's not good. -DH

**You:** ...yeah, okay - SS

**You:** I get why you've been doing it - SS

**You:** So we're fine - SS

**Stranger:** I told you, I'll try to be better. I'll work on it. I promise. -DH

**You:** We'll be /good/ when I can see you've stopped, and when I know you're a little less anxious about it all - SS

**You:** I believe you - DH

**Stranger:** ...okay. Fair enough. -DH

**You:** I'm not gonna pretend we've fixed the problem until we've actually fixed it - SS

**You:** But we'll be okay - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. I'll fix it. -DH

**You:** /We'll/ fix it - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. -DH

**You:** I love you - SS

**Stranger:** I love you too. Maybe we can get dinner tonight? -Dh

**You:** That sounds great - SS

**Stranger:** WE can go to that Italian place you like. -DH

**You:** Thanks, Der - SS

**You:** Seven? - SS

**Stranger:** Definitely. I'll pick you up. -DH

**You:** I'll see you then - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. -DH

 


	28. The Good Kind of Weird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the upside, Stiles' visions saved the Hales. On the downside, they give him /horrible/ headaches.
> 
> seer!Stiles, Stiles saved the Hales, established relationship, hurt/comfort, banter

 

 

I feel like gouging my eyes out. SS

 

What's going on? - DH

 

Oh, just another usual day for me. SS

 

Visions or headaches? - DH

 

Headaches because of visions. SS

 

You know any of us will pull pain for you if you ask - DH

 

Yeah, I know. SS

Don't want to bother you. SS

 

It's not a bother - DH

No-one minds - DH

 

Thanks. SS

Maybe I'll ask Cora. SS

I have next period with her. SS

 

You should - DH

She likes you - DH

 

Really? SS

 

Oh, um, she doesn't /like/ you, but she likes you - DH

 

No, no, I get it. SS

It's just...surprised me. SS

Pleasantly. SS

 

We pretty much /all/ like you, Stiles - DH

 

I knew Peter liked me, or was curious about me. SS

 

He thinks you're intriguing - DH

Not just for the visions either - DH

I get the sense he sees you as a kind of kindred spirit? - DH

Which is a little weird - DH

 

Kindred spirit? SS

 

He thinks you have great potential as a schemer - DH

 

Huh. SS

Never thought about that. SS

 

You're his kind of smart - DH

 

He just likes that I out-sass him. SS

 

That too - DH

 

I'm glad. SS

 

Anyway. We like you - DH

 

I'm really glad for that. SS

 

Yeah? - DH

 

Yeah. SS

I mean, it's your family. SS

And I love you all. SS

I'm glad you like me. SS

 

You're practically pack, you know - DH

It's a little uncertain because you don't need an alpha, but you're accepted that way - DH

 

I'm not a werewolf. SS

 

Dad's not either - DH

 

Yeah, but he's married to your mom. SS

 

But he proves the point - non-wolves /can/ be pack - DH

 

Because he's /married/. SS

 

Every one of us owes you a life-debt, Stiles - DH

 

That doesn't make me pack, though. SS

Me saving your life and you lot feeling like you owe me. SS

Which you don't. SS

 

Think of us as those three-eyed aliens from Toy Story, okay? - DH

 

Oh, my God, what? SS

 

**"** You saved our lives. We are truly grateful"? - DH

Do you not remember that line? - DH

 

I know, I know. SS

Dude, it's Disney. How can I not remember Disney? SS

It's just funny. SS

Imagining you as a three eyed alien. SS

With three eyebrows, of course. SS

 

Yeah, hairless aliens don't have those - DH

 

Shush, you would totally have eyebrows even like that. SS

 

I don't have eyebrows as a wolf, why would I as an alien? - DH

 

Because you love expressing yourself with your eyebrows. SS

 

If I was a hairless alien, I'd have to paint them on or something - DH

 

I would help. SS

 

What an expression of love: if you were a hairless alien, I'd paint eyebrows on your face so you could emote - DH

 

Only the best for you, my lovely LGM. SS

 

[delay] I swear I wasn't this weird before I started dating you - DH

 

Weird? You're not weird. SS

 

You're adorable. SS

And dorky. SS

 

 

Thanks - DH

 

Although it's possible your judgement on 'weird' is mis-calibrated - DH

You being you - DH

 

D: SS

Rude! SS

 

I like that you're weird - DH

 

I like better 'unique'. SS

 

Unique doesn't mean anything - DH

Everything's unique - DH

 

Fine then. Special. SS

 

Of course you are - DH

And weird - DH

 

Gee, thanks. SS

 

You're welcome - DH

You're my favourite kind of person - DH

 

Sarcasm, Derek. SS

I was being sarcastic. SS

 

You're still my favourite kind of person - DH

 

Yeah, yeah. SS

 

Is your head feeling any better? - DH

 

A bit. SS

I still feel like gouging my eyes out. SS

 

I'm sorry - DH

 

Not your fault. SS

 

I'm not apologising, I'm just sorry it's happening - DH

 

Don't be. SS

It's something normal for me. SS

 

That's worse - DH

 

Meh. SS

I got used to it. SS

Though I might need some pain killers. SS

 

You haven't taken any? - DH

Stiles! - DH

 

Calm down, babe. SS

I took two. SS

But I only have one or two left. SS

 

I'll pick some up for you - DH

 

Thanks. SS

Love ya. SS

 

Love you too - DH

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my collaborator for the prompt and for Stiles - hope you enjoyed it!


	29. Apology

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek fucked up. He and Stiles fix it.
> 
> established relationship, arguments, apologies

Please, Stiles, just tell me what I did - DH

 

Shut up. SS

You told me to just fucking shut up for once in my life. SS

And I am tired of that. SS

 

I'm sorry - DH

 

Yeah. SS

 

There's no excuse for that - I could explain, but it's not important - DH

I love your words - DH

 

You want to explain, go ahead. SS

Doesn't mean I'm not spending the night at Scott's. SS

 

I was overwhelmed. It's harder to control sensory input this close to the moon, and I'd had stuff to do in town all day, and I just needed to be quiet and calm. I didn't think about what I was saying. And none of that is any excuse at all - DH

 

[slight delay] I am never going to be quiet and calm for you. I don't know how to be. SS

 

I'm not saying you have to be - DH

And quiet and calm isn't the same thing as silent and still - DH

 

You are the only person who never yelled at me for it. SS

At least not when we started to actually be friends. I don't count that before bit. SS

 

It's a part of you - DH

Yelling wouldn't achieve anything - DH

 

No, it wouldn't. SS

 

I'm sorry - DH

 

Take your quiet night, alright? I need some time too. SS

 

Are we going to be okay? - DH

 

I think so. SS

 

Thank you - DH

 

I'm sorry for not seeing you were upset. SS

 

I was trying to hide it. I should have just asked - DH

 

Please do. SS

Derek, if you don't tell me something I'll just keep going. I can figure out other ways to expend my energy if you're having a hard time, but I need to know. I hate feeling like I've just plowed over you. SS

 

I'm sorry. It's habit to just try to cope with everything - DH

But it's not fair on you - DH

 

I don't want to cause you pain. Sensory overload is causing you pain. SS

 

It's not really pain, it's just...overwhelming - DH

 

It's a kind of pain. I know that. SS

 

It's not your fault, Stiles - DH

 

Yeah. SS

I'll be home tomorrow. SS

 

Okay. Take care of yourself - DH

 

I love you. SS

 

I love you too - DH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my anonymous co-author for Stiles - hope you all enjoyed it!


	30. Chapter 30

 

 

**You:** [established D/s] Have you been good for me this week? - SS

**Stranger:** Don't you think I'm always good? -DH

**You:** You're always my good boy, but that doesn't mean you always remember to follow the rules - SS

**Stranger:** Sometimes I forget that there are rules. -DH

**You:** I know. I try to keep them simple, just the rules for being kind to yourself and the rules about saving yourself for me, to help with that - SS

**Stranger:** I always save myself for you. -DH

**You:** Good boy - SS

**You:** But did you remember to look after yourself? Food, sleep, talking to people, not letting yourself get hurt? - SS

**Stranger:** I don't really talk to people. -DH

**You:** I know you don't like it, but you still need more than just me. I don't ask you to make small talk with strangers, just to talk to one of the pack or our friends every couple of days - SS

**Stranger:** Why do I need more than just you when I'm happy with just you? -DH

**You:** Because focusing on just one relationship isn't healthy, Derek. You need a support system, you need friends who aren't me, you need people who can keep you company if I'm busy or away or in the highly unlikely circumstance where I break up with you - SS

**You:** I'm so glad you're happy with me, and I want that to always be true - SS

**You:** But I fuck up, like anyone, and you need somewhere to go that /isn't/ me - SS

**Stranger:** I have Isaac? -DH

**Stranger:** It unnerves me when you even mention breaking up with me. -DH

**You:** I'm glad you have Isaac, but you need to maintain that friendship, you know? - SS

**You:** And I hate thinking about us breaking up, so I get it - SS

**You:** I just want you to understand where I'm coming from - SS

**Stranger:** I suppose I understand.. -DH

**You:** Take this week for example: I had so much to do, I barely saw you, which epically sucked - SS

**Stranger:** It wasn't fun.. -DH

**You:** And I...it worried me, thinking that you would be alone - not just missing me, but alone - SS

**Stranger:** I'm used to being alone. -DH

**You:** I know you are, and I hate it, and why that is - SS

**Stranger:** You help though. -DH

**You:** I'm really glad - S

**Stranger:** You help a lot. -DH

**You:** Good - SS

**You:** Can you...can you accept my help when it's me saying you need to interact with friends, too? - SS

**Stranger:** I don't always want to interact though. -DH

**You:** Is it just that you don't really want to, or is it actually unpleasant? - SS

**Stranger:** I don't really want to. -DH

**You:** Okay - SS

**You:** As it stands, the rule I have for you asks you to interact with someone - even a five minute phone call - at least every two days - SS

**You:** Do you think that's unreasonable, or too much? - SS

**Stranger:** I don't think it's unreasonable.. Sometimes I just don't want to talk to anyone but you. -DH

**You:** Okay. I understand that you don't want to, but I'm going to keep the rule in place - SS

**You:** Even if it's hard for you, or you don't feel like it, it's important to me that you try - SS

**Stranger:** If I do find that it's too hard, can I call you instead? -DH

**You:** Like any of our rules, if you're having trouble and you need an exception, you can always ask me - SS

**Stranger:** Thank you.. Sometimes I might need it. -DH

**You:** That's fine - SS

**You:** I get it -SS

**Stranger:** Do you? -DH

**You:** You know I have issues with anxiety...there are days when I just can't do things, or see certain people - SS

**You:** And days when I /could/, but I really don't want to - SS

**Stranger:** But you still come and see me. -DH

**You:** I can pretty much always see you - SS

**You:** You're special - SS

**Stranger:** I would hope so.. -DH

**You:** Just...if I ever can't, know that it's not you, okay? - SS

**You:** Not your fault, and not that I don't love you - SS

**Stranger:** I will try and remember that. -DH

**You:** I don't think it'll happen - SS

**You:** It's more likely that I'll come see you, but want to take off the D/s hats entirely - SS

**Stranger:** I would hope. -DH

**You:** It's really not about you - SS

**You:** Not about trust or love or anything - SS

**Stranger:** I understand. If you ever need to.. Take off the hats.. Then it's fine. -DH

**You:** Thanks - SS

**You:** You make me feel safe, you know? - SS

**You:** But it's hard to focus on that when I'm trying to look after you - SS

**Stranger:** I'm sorry. -DH

**You:** Don't apologize, it's fine - SS

**Stranger:** I feel like it's partly my fault. -DH

**You:** That I get anxious sometimes? That's been happening forever - SS

**Stranger:** I should be able to help more. -DH

**You:** You help plenty, honestly - SS

**Stranger:** I hope so. -DH

**You:** I'm a lot less anxious now than I used to be, and you're great at dealing with my panic attacks when they happen - SS

**Stranger:** I know how to calm you down. -DH

 

 

**You:** You do - SS

**You:** I've gotten some really dumb reactions to my panic attacks before - SS

**Stranger:** Such as? -DH

**You:** Scott gave me a puff of his inhaler. I've had people try to startle me out of it with loud noises or calling my name or whatever.Lydia kissed me. - SS

**Stranger:** Did that one work? -DH

**You:** It did, but basically because of the shock factor, and it really wasn't ideal - SS

**You:** I don't like being shocked out of panic attacks - SS

**Stranger:** I know. That's why I don't. -DH

**You:** You do it perfectly - SS

**Stranger:** I'm glad. -DH

**You:** Love you - SS

**Stranger:** Love you too. -DH

**You:** What do you want to do this weekend? - SS

**You:** I can pretty much spend the whole time with you, which is going to be awesome - SS

**Stranger:** Can we spend the whole time inside alone? -DH

**You:** You're such a hermit :) - SS

**You:** If you want, sure - SS

**Stranger:** I just have no desire to go out when I could be spending my time with you. -DH

**You:** Alright - SS

**You:** Do you want to do a proper scene this weekend, or just hang out? - SS

**Stranger:** Can we do a scene? -DH

**You:** Of course. Is there anything you want or don't want? - SS

**Stranger:** I just want you. -DH

**You:** You're the sweetest, you know that? - SS

**Stranger:** You just say that. -DH

**You:** No, I mean it - SS

**Stranger:** Well.. I try. -DH

**You:** You do very well - SS

**Stranger:** Thank you.. -DH

**You:** [delay] How do you feel about me tying you down and worshipping you and praising you? Then maybe riding you? - SS

**Stranger:** If that is what you would like, you know I would too. -DH

**You:** ...which means there's something else you'd like better - SS

**You:** I want to do something you /love/, not just something you like - SS

**Stranger:** Well I love you. -DH

**You:** You're dodging the question - SS

**You:** Is it something you think I won't want to do? - SS

**Stranger:** I don't know what I want. -DH

**You:** Okay - SS

**You:** Well, if you think of something, you can always ask, okay? - SS

**Stranger:** I know. I know I can ask. -DH

**You:** And you will, right? - SS

**Stranger:** I suppose I will? -DH

**You:** I want you to, alright? You asking for things you want makes me happy - SS

**Stranger:** I don't have anything that I want right now Stiles. -DH

**You:** Sorry. I don't mean to push - SS

**Stranger:** I know.. -DH

**You:** I just worry that I'll miss something, because most of the time I'm calling the shots - SS

**You:** That there'll be some way I could make you happy that I don't realise - SS

**Stranger:** Which is how I like it? -DH

**Stranger:** You always know. -DH

**You:** I know you do. Sorry - SS

**Stranger:** Don't apologise, Stiles. -DH

**You:** But we've talked about all this already - SS

**Stranger:** I know, I know. -DH

**You:** So yeah, sorry for bringing it up for no reason - SS

**Stranger:** It's fine, really. -DH

**You:** I don't mean to, I don't know, nag you - SS

**Stranger:** You don't nag. -DH

**You:** Thanks - SS

**You:** I'm just...ugh. All iffy right now - SS

**Stranger:** Why is that? -DH

**You:** Tough week, and I had to hand in stuff that I wasn't totally proud of, which always sucks, and I've been missing you, which sucks worse, and I've been on my own, so my brain's been running in little circles, and just...ugh. I'm good though, right? - SS

**You:** Like, with you? - SS

**Stranger:** Do you want to come over tonight? Just... Do nothing. -DH

**You:** Yeah, I was hoping I'd stay after dinner and...chill, I guess - SS

**Stranger:** Netflix and chill? -DH

**You:** hah - SS

**You:** I mean, yeah - SS

**You:** But also, /actually/ chilling - SS

**Stranger:** Oh I know. Doing nothing. -DH

**You:** Just being with you - SS

**You:** Is tonight a kneeling night or a cuddling night? - SS

**Stranger:** Can it be a both night? -DH

**You:** I'd like that - SS

**Stranger:** Me too. -DH

**You:** I want to pet your hair, sweet boy - SS

**Stranger:** I would like that a lot. -DH

**You:** I want the feeling of you leaning your head against my thigh, trusting me - SS

**Stranger:** You can have that. I want it too. -DH

**You:** Good boy - SS

**You:** And later, I'll get to hold you in my arms - SS

**You:** Wrap you up tight - SS

**Stranger:** That sounds just perfect. I could do with a cuddle. -DH

**You:** Then that's what we'll do - SS

**Stranger:** Couldn't ask for anything more. -DH

**You:** I'll see you tonight, love - SS

**Stranger:** How do you want me? -DH

**You:** Just in comfortable clothes. Nothing fancy - SS

**Stranger:** That's easy enough then. -DH

**You:** That's what I think I want tonight - easy and loving - SS

**Stranger:** We can order in? -DH

**You:** That sounds perfect - SS

**You:** Though admittedly, I can't hand-feed you most takeaway, which would be even more perfect - SS

**Stranger:** I'm sure we could think of something.. -DH

**You:** You'll just have to lick my fingers clean - SS

**Stranger:** Well I can do that.. -DH

**You:** I'm looking forward to it - SS

**Stranger:** Me too. -DH

**You:** I should get back to work so I can enjoy it properly - SS

**Stranger:** You probably should.. -DH

**You:** Sorry - SS

**Stranger:** No, it's okay. -DH

**You:** I'll see you later - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. I'll see you later. I love you. -DH

**You:** I love you too - SS

 

 


	31. Chapter 31

 

 

**You:** The internet has some WEIRD ideas about werewolves - SS

**Stranger:** Like what, exactly? -DH

**You:** Ugh. I mean, there was all that stuff about werewolves not having control of their shift, but I managed to sort through that ages ago - SS

**You:** It's the weird overlap between werewolf stuff and soulmate stuff that's bothering me at the moment - SS

**You:** Because it seems really recent, but there's /heaps/ of it - SS

**You:** And it's all really different - SS

**Stranger:** Werewolves and soulmates do coincide. -DH

**Stranger:** We have mates. We usually mate for life, but it takes a really strong betrayal or your mate dying in order for you to be able to mate again. -DH

**You:** Wow - SS

**You:** Okay, gimme a sec while I consult the Spreadsheet of Wonder - SS

**Stranger:** Spreadsheet of Wonder...? -DH

**You:** Dude, I have to keep my research organised somehow - SS

**You:** And the SoW tells me that sources that say what you just said generally also say you can tell if someone's a potential mate when you meet them, but it's not absolutely certain right away - SS

**You:** How am I doing? - SS

**Stranger:** Very well, actually. -DH

**Stranger:** We can usually tell if people or other werewolves are going to be potential mates by scent. -DH

**Stranger:** But there are hundreds of people in California alone that I could potentially mate with, human and werewolf alike. -DH

**Stranger:** There are a couple here in Beacon Hills that have a strong sense and scent of a mate. -DH

**You:** That's a pretty good version of the mates thing, really - SS

**You:** Some of them, it seems like happiness is a one in a million lottery - SS

**Stranger:** Tell me about it.. -DH

**You:** Sorry - SS

**You:** So, hey, if there are heaps of potential mates out there, when does it shift from that to being an actual mate? - SS

**You:** Because again, lots of possibilities in the SoW - SS

**Stranger:** Sex. -DH

**Stranger:** Plain and simple. You court someone that has the scent of a potential mate, then when you think they're the one, you have sex with them. -DH

**You:** Penetrative sex, or just mutual orgasms? - SS

**Stranger:** Works best with penetrative, I've found. -DH

**You:** You've mated someone? - SS

**You:** Wait, you're making comparisons...you've mated more than one? - SS

**You:** Or is that just what you've heard? - SS

**Stranger:** I've mated with two people before. -DH

**Stranger:** Kate and Jennifer. -DH

**Stranger:** But you know how both of those relationships ended. -DH

**You:** Oh - SS

**You:** I'm so sorry - SS

**Stranger:** It's not your fault. -DH

**Stranger:** What does it say on your SoW about losing a mate? -DH

**You:** Anything from grieving like a human grieves their spouse to cannot survive, but when correlated with what you've told me...more towards the human grieving end - SS

**Stranger:** It depends on how long the mates have been together. If it's a few months and they die, it's like human grieving. If it's for years and years... the living mate may not survive over the next couple days. -DH

**You:** Does it get better over time? Like, if a long-standing mate can make it through the first week after their mate dies, are they more likely to survive? - SS

**Stranger:** I don't really know. They're not more likely to survive, persay, but... the chances of continuing to live get stronger the longer they may it. -DH

**Stranger:** I've heard if they can survive a month, they'll live. -DH

**Stranger:** But I've also heard they'll never been the same person that they were before their mate died. -DH

**You:** Well, consider me a member of the Keep Derek Fucking Alive committee if it ever comes to it - SS

**Stranger:** Well, thanks, I guess. -DH

**Stranger:** But as much as I would like to mate again, it feels like every time I do, they wind up dead. -DH

**Stranger:** Or, y'know... wanting to kill me. In Kate's case. Dead, then really wanting to kill me. -DH

**You:** They were both pretty terrible - SS

**You:** Understatement of the year - SS

**Stranger:** I trusted them both so quickly... I was stupid. -DH

**You:** Not that stupid - SS

**You:** Kate knew what she was doing, and you were young - SS

**You:** And I'm at least sixty percent sure Jennifer put some kind of whammy on you, so... - SS

**Stranger:** It doesn't matter anymore. Jennifer's dead and Kate... who the hell knows with Kate. -DH

**Stranger:** Why are you so interested in this stuff anyway? -DH

**You:** Because I like knowing things - SS

**You:** It's practically my /job/ to know things - SS

**Stranger:** About mating? -DH

**You:** About whatever - SS

**You:** /Someone's/ going to ask me about it, I can guarantee - SS

**You:** And this is way less likely to freak me out than other things I could research - SS

**Stranger:** What other things could you research? Well... what all do you want to know? If you're curious enough to ask, I can tell you. -DH

**You:** I've been working my way through the bestiary - SS

**You:** Trying to get supplementary information - SS

**You:** And let me just say, I /never/ want to meet a nuckelavee - SS

**You:** Seriously? A giant, skinless, evil centaur? - SS

**Stranger:** Giant, skinless, evil centaur... yeah, don't really want one of those in Beacon Hills. -DH

**Stranger:** But knowing our luck? That'll be the next thing that comes waltzing in here. -DH

**You:** No, we're not coastal - SS

**You:** They hate fresh water, so it'd be /very/ unlikely - SS

**Stranger:** That's a relief, I guess. -DH

**You:** Yeah, it's nice when I get those ones - SS

**You:** Where there's a simple way to get rid of them and we've already inadvertently done it - SS

**Stranger:** Why don't you try to relax? At least for a little while? -DH

**You:** Pfff. Dude, not likely - SS

**You:** Come on, you know how this goes - SS

**You:** With everything that's gone down, I'm hypervigilant as fuck, and ADHD does /not/ help - SS

**Stranger:** I know everything's really fucking crazy. But still.. -DH

**Stranger:** When was the last time you slept? A real, good, eight hours of sleep? At night? -DH

**You:** God, is 'a long-ass time' enough of an answer? - SS

**You:** I don't know, months? Longer? - SS

**You:** I don't exactly keep track, it's depressing - SS

**Stranger:** Then go to sleep. -DH

**Stranger:** You've earned it, after everything. -DH

**You:** You say that like it's easy - SS

**Stranger:** Okay, then what will it take for you to sleep? -DH

**You:** God, Derek, I don't know - SS

**You:** You think I haven't tried to find solutions? - SS

**You:** I'd have been going to therapy for months if I thought I could translate what has happened into something that would get me treated for PTSD and not delusions - SS

**Stranger:** Okay, so human science and treatments won't help. Have you tried supernatural? -DH

**You:** I have tried a /lot/ of things - SS

**You:** I just...I want to feel safe for half an hour of my life, you know? - SS

**Stranger:** What will make you feel safe? If someone stood guard at your bedside while you slept? -DH

**You:** Derek, who the hell would do that? - SS

**Stranger:** Why not me? -DH

**You:** Because you're busy and /you/ need sleep? - SS

**Stranger:** Not really. -DH

**Stranger:** I've been back in Beacon Hills for a couple weeks. I've got my affairs in order and I'm good on sleep. -DH

**You:** You'd really do that for me? - SS

**Stranger:** Of course. -DH

**You:** I - I'd really, really appreciate that - SS

**You:** You're sure it's okay? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, it's okay. Why wouldn't it be? -DH

**You:** It's pretty inconvenient to randomly guard me in my sleep - SS

**Stranger:** Not really. I'm not doing anything tonight and I actually took a nap earlier today after I worked out. -DH

**You:** Okay - SS

**You:** Then yeah. I'd like to see you - SS

 

 


	32. Satisfaction and Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kink negotiation, orgasm control, cock cages

 

 

**You:**   ...are we gonna talk about it, or are you going to keep avoiding me? - SS

**Stranger:** I don't know. I guess that depends. -DH

**You:** Yeah? - SS

**Stranger:** You don't think I'm crazy or whatever? -DH

**You:** No - SS

**You:** I mean, it was pretty disconcerting in the moment, but... - SS

**Stranger:** So you're not freaked out or totally turned off? -DH

**You:** I still want to be your boyfriend, and I still want to have sex with you - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. Good. I feel slightly calmer now. -DH

**You:** Good - SS

**You:** I don't like it when you freak out on me - SS

**Stranger:** I don't really like to either. Sorry. -DH

**You:** It's okay - SS

**You:** [delay] So, is this going to be a 'forget it forever' sort of situation? Or are you going to tell me why you like it? - SS

**Stranger:** I'll tell you. Although I mean, I don't know if I can entirely specify why but I can try to explain more, I guess. -DH

**You:** Thanks - SS

**You:** Because lbr, I would be /terrible/ at forgetting forever - SS

**Stranger:** Very true. -DH

**You:** So... - SS

**Stranger:** Right. -DH

**Stranger:** I just.. haven't really talked about it with anyone before. -DH

**Stranger:** So I'm not really good at doing it. -DH

**Stranger:** Where am I supposed to start? -DH

**You:** Um. Well, you were clearly into it - for all of a second before you realised, but still. What's sexy about it? Or is it not about sexiness? - SS

**Stranger:** Well I wasn't thinking about it then. -DH

**Stranger:** It is and it isn't? -DH

**You:** How so? - SS

**Stranger:** Um. Give me a second to explain. -DH

**You:** Of course - SS

**Stranger:** Okay so... I guess there's the physical side of it, for starters. And the longer you deny yourself, the stronger the pleasure is in the end, right? -DH

**You:** I don't really have the self-control to know from experience, but it makes sense - SS

**Stranger:** Well.. you know. That's kind of why I tried the cage personally. It changes it - kind of. At least when someone else has the keys. -DH

**Stranger:** But there's also something in the mentality too. Being able to focus on someone else and let them have that control. -DH

**You:** I don't think I get that yet. Reciprocation is important, right? - SS

**Stranger:** Of pleasure? -DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**Stranger:** Eventually, if you mean an orgasm. But I find pleasure in other ways. -DH

**You:** Like what? - SS

**Stranger:** Just in knowing I've pleased the key holder. And even in the denial. -DH

**You:** It feels good? - SS

**Stranger:** It is both infuriating and glorious at the same time. -DH

**You:** Wow. That was a lot more eloquent than you usually are - SS

**Stranger:** Heh. Did it help? -DH

**You:** Kind of - SS

**You:** [delay] I was worried that you were punishing yourself - SS

**Stranger:** Oh. No. I mean, I have done that. -DH

**Stranger:** But it was different. Satisfying in the wrong way? -DH

**Stranger:** And more painful. -DH

**You:** I don't know if I want to know - SS

**Stranger:** We don't have to talk about it. I'm mostly past that. Not that there isn't a desire to do it sometimes but I know you won't let me do it. -DH

**You:** Do you think I'll be able to tell? When it's like that, instead of how it should be? - SS

**Stranger:** Yes. -DH

**Stranger:** There should be a difference. It's like... there's kind of a desperation either way but when I'm enjoying myself it's.. softer? When want to punish myself I clearly would be trying to push past my limits -DH

**You:** If I asked you, would you tell me? - SS

**Stranger:** I don't know. But I think I would probably hesitate and then you would know. -DH

**You:** Yeah, I suppose. I mean, you're a better liar than me, but you're not that great - SS

**You:** What should I do? If you're trying to hurt yourself with it? - SS

**Stranger:** I won't be trying to hurt myself with the chastity. It would be more... with a little dose of actual pain? But just stop what we're doing. Talk to me? -DH

**You:** Of course - SS

**Stranger:** You'd be able to talk me down. -DH

**Stranger:** Touch is good too. -DH

**You:** Yeah, I know you're a secret cuddler - SS

**Stranger:** I think that comes with being a wolf. -DH

**You:** Whether it does or it doesn't, I'm here for all your cuddling needs - SS

**Stranger:** Thank you. -DH

**Stranger:** So... I guess this means I should show you the cage? -SS

**You:** I think so - SS

**You:** I mean, I felt it, a bit, through your pants - SS

**Stranger:** I have a fairly discreet one. Some are really bulky. I paid a lot for it. -DH

**Stranger:** Do you want the key...? -DH

**You:** [delay] I can have a /copy/ of the key - SS

**Stranger:** Okay but... it doesn't work if I have easy access to it. Can we put it in a lock box or something and you can reveal the code if I need it? -DH

**You:** I need there to be a trial period before we try to do this properly - SS

**Stranger:** Right, of course. Sorry, I don't mean to push it on you. -DH

**You:** No, I get it, I just mean, I'm kinda not the guy you want with absolute control over your junk - SS

**Stranger:** What do you mean? -DH

**You:** I'm super impulsive and kinda forgetful, dude - SS

**You:** It is 100% possible that I'll fuck up - SS

**Stranger:** I can deal with impulsive. -DH

**Stranger:** We live in a world where it's easy enough to remind you. -DH

**Stranger:** And we all stumble. -DH

**You:** I just need you to have a safety net - SS

**You:** Something independent of me - SS

**Stranger:** That's what the lock box is for. -DH

**Stranger:** We can figure out a system that doesn't necessarily rely on you? -DH

**You:** Yeah. So long as you have a key you can get to. - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. We can do that. -DH

**You:** Okay - SS

**You:** [delay] So, um, if we're doing this...how long do you normally make yourself keep the cage on for? - SS

**Stranger:** I wear it most of the time. Sometimes.. I milk myself? But other times I let myself orgasm without the cage and I take it off for cleaning. -DH

**Stranger:** But you know, if you wanted access it would be yours to unlock.. -DH

**You:** That question was more aimed at me figuring out how long you usually go without an orgasm - SS

**Stranger:** Oh. Well.. that kind of varies. -DH

**Stranger:** Sometimes I only make it a week or two. But I've gone a couple of months before. -DH

**You:** A couple of /months/? - SS

**Stranger:** Um.. yeah. -DH

**Stranger:** Is that bad? -DH

**You:** Dude, I don't think I could last a week - SS

**Stranger:** I felt like that the first time. -DH

**You:** Yeah? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. But then I got there and when I orgasmed it was /great/ but I kind of wished I'd held out longer. -DH

**Stranger:** I mean, sometimes I need more discipline and I hope you might give me that? -DH

**Stranger:** But other times it's great. I do always like being locked in it. -DH

**You:** How long do you /want/ to be, uh, locked up? - SS

**Stranger:** Without orgasm? I don't really know. Part of me wants to try for 100 days. -DH

**Stranger:** I like the idea of it coming off briefly and being edged without an actual orgasm? -DH

**Stranger:** But we can start smaller if it's easier for you. -DH

**You:** I think I'd miss blowing you - SS

**You:** Like, you have a really nice dick - SS

**Stranger:** Would you miss the cum too much? -DH

**You:** Do you seriously want me to give you a blowjob and then not let you come? - SS

**Stranger:** Why not? -DH

**You:** Wouldn't that be horribly frustrating? - SS

**Stranger:** That's kind of the point. -DH

**You:** Huh - SS

**You:** It's fun? - SS

**Stranger:** Infuriating but glorious. -DH

**You:** Is it more glorious when it's more infuriating? - SS

**Stranger:** Basically. -DH

**Stranger:** So I might beg sometimes but please still say no? -DH

**You:** I feel like this is maybe safeword territory - SS

**Stranger:** Sure. We can do that. -DH

**Stranger:** Do you just want to use colours, or something more? -DH

**You:** Colours are fine - SS

**You:** It's just that if I'm going to push you, I need to know if I'm going to be pushing you too hard - SS

**Stranger:** Of course. I want us both to be comfortable and safewords are a good idea. -DH

**Stranger:** So red means we need to stop, or it's too much. Yellow means we need to talk about it. Green means we're good to continue? -DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**You:** I'll probably fuck it up, you know - SS

**Stranger:** Stiles, relax. We're taking precautions, we're going to make sure it's not too much for the other. -DH

**Stranger:** Sure, we might make mistakes but it'll be okay. -DH

**You:** What if it doesn't work out? - SS

**You:** The key holding thing - SS

**Stranger:** Then it doesn't work out. -DH

**Stranger:** I like it, Stiles. A lot. But I love you. -DH

**You:** I love you too - SS

**Stranger:** So no matter what happens, we'll be okay. -DH

**You:** Okay - SS

**Stranger:** I promise. -DH

 

 

**You:** I love you - SS

**Stranger:** I love you too. -DH

**You:** Are you going to stop avoiding me now? - SS

**Stranger:** Of course. -DH

**Stranger:** I'm sorry I panicked. -DH

**You:** I'm sorry I was weird about it - SS

**Stranger:** You really weren't. -DH

**Stranger:** You were really good. -DH

**You:** Yeah? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. I feel a lot better now about it. -DH

**You:** I'm glad - SS

**Stranger:** Is there anything you want to share? -DH

**You:** Wow, way to sound like a Kinks Anonymous group leader - SS

**Stranger:** Well I just want to make sure we're both being heard. -DH

**You:** No, I appreciate it - SS

**You:** It was just the turn of phrase - SS

**You:** I think I'm okay for now, but if I change my mind, I'll tell you - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. So I guess this means that I should come home, huh? -DH

**You:** Where did you go, anyway? - SS

**Stranger:** No where specific, I just kind of ran. I'm on my way back now. -DH

**You:** I didn't mean to scare you off - SS

**Stranger:** I scared myself off, really. -DH

**You:** Yeah? - SS

**You:** What did you think I was going to do, dude? - SS

**You:** We've already established I'm good at coping with weird - SS

**Stranger:** I don't know. -DH

**Stranger:** I wasn't really thinking, just panicking. -DH

**Stranger:** I guess I thought you'd leave. -DH

**You:** I wouldn't leave because of this - SS

**Stranger:** I've lost a lot over the years though. I just didn't want to lose you too. -DH

 

 

**You:** I don't intend to let you lose me, Derek - SS

**Stranger:** Good. Because even though I did panic and run, I intend to hold onto you. -DH

 

 


	33. Speak Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> est D/s, Dom Derek, scene negotiation, punishment

**You:** [est D/s. Derek's away for the weekend] How was your day? Have you been good? - DH

**Stranger:** If by good you mean did I listen to everything you told me...then no. Not exactly. I missed you too much. -S

**You:** What did you do? - DH

**Stranger:** I may have come all over your sheets. ....Twice. -S

**You:** [delay] I want you to list the rules you broke, and apologise for each of them - DH

**Stranger:** I came without permission. I'm sorry for that, Sir. It just kind of...happened. I didn't stop when I knew I was close. I apologize for that. I knew I wasn't supposed to be...entertaining myself without you, but I was lonely and your bed smelled like you, and I just...I'm sorry, Sir. -S

**You:** Not sorry enough to have stopped after one, it seems - DH

**Stranger:** I kind of figured I was already in trouble.... -S

**You:** You'll be punished for each time, you know - DH

**Stranger:** I know Sir. I deserve it. But it felt like you were close, and I just...I missed you. -S

**You:** I've missed you too, love - DH

**Stranger:** How much longer? -S

**You:** I'll be home tomorrow afternoon - DH

**Stranger:** And...how much punishment should I expect? -S

**You:** Masturbating without permission twice, coming without permission twice - DH

**Stranger:** I understand. But can I just be glad you're home first? For a few minutes at least? -S

**You:** You can - DH

**You:** Have you washed the sheets yet? - DH

**Stranger:** No Sir. I was just about to take them off the bed when you texted. -S

**You:** Don't - DH

**Stranger:** Sir? -S

**You:** You'll sleep there tonight, where you can see the mess you've made - DH

**You:** And part of your punishment will be washing your come out of them by hand when I get home - DH

**Stranger:** Yes Sir. I understand. -S

**You:** Good - DH

**Stranger:** I am sorry I disappointed you, Sir. -S

**You:** I know - DH

**Stranger:** I really miss you. -S

**You:** I miss you too - DH

**You:** But I know you can do better than that - DH

**Stranger:** ...Yes Sir. -S

**You:** You're capable of being a very good boy when you want to be - DH

**Stranger:** I want to be a good boy for you. But I hate it when you leave. -S

**You:** I never leave you for long - DH

**Stranger:** I still worry. Until I know you're back. -S

**You:** You know you can text me whenever you want, don't you? - DH

**Stranger:** I know. But you're busy and I don't want to bother you because I'm being all me and imagining things that aren't even logical. -S

**You:** Stiles... - DH

**Stranger:** I know, I know. -S

**Stranger:** It's not like wolf attacks and shapeshifters and hunters and crazy zombie carrots are an impossibility. -S

**Stranger:** Well...maybe not the carrots. -S

**You:** You're right. Danger is a part of our lives - DH

**Stranger:** And I feel safest when you're home. In bed. With me. Even if you're doing dirty, dirty things. Or especially if you're doing dirty things. -S

**You:** I don't want you to feel unsafe - DH

**Stranger:** I don't. I just spin. You know me. I think too much. It's dumb. -S

**You:** Nothing you think or feel is stupid - DH

**Stranger:** Even giant zombie carrots? -S

**You:** Even that - DH

**Stranger:** I love you, you know. Even if you're going to punish me. I still love you. -S

**You:** I love you too - DH

**Stranger:** Can I make a request? -S

**You:** Of course - DH

**Stranger:** I know I don't have a right to ask, and I'm fine with whatever punishment you choose...but don't make me sleep alone, okay? I know I used your bed without you...but don't make me sleep alone. -S

**You:** I won't - DH

**You:** Thank you for telling me - DH

**Stranger:** Thank you, Derek. Sir. -S

**You:** You're welcome - DH

**You:** For your punishment, you'll handwash the sheets while wearing a ball gag, and you won't be allowed to come for the next four days - DH

**Stranger:** ...That's fair. You know I'll still just try to talk through the gag, right? I'm kind of bad at keeping quiet. -S

**You:** The stuffer gag, then. No sound gets through that one - DH

**Stranger:** Ugh. Yes, Sir. I should learn to stop texting stream-of-consciousness. -S

**You:** You didn't speak while I was willing to listen, so now you won't be able to - DH

**Stranger:** I understand, Sir. -S

**You:** Good boy - DH

**Stranger:** I do want to be your good boy. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was getting anxious. -S

**You:** If you don't feel you can talk to me, how do you feel about writing things down? - DH

**Stranger:** What do you mean? -S

**You:** Keeping a journal, or something like that - DH

**Stranger:** I don't know. I never tried anything like that. -S

**You:** I admit that I haven't either - DH

**Stranger:** I guess I could try. Like, that you would read, or?... -S

**You:** That I would read. If you want to keep a private one as well, that's up to you - DH

**Stranger:** I think I would like to try, Sir. -S

**You:** Thank you - DH

**You:** You can write anything you want in it, okay? - DH

**You:** But I always want you to write down if you're anxious - DH

**Stranger:** What if I do something wrong again? -S

**You:** What do you mean? - DH

**Stranger:** What if I do something wrong and write it down? If I can't tell you. Like I did today. -S

**You:** That's okay, too - DH

**You:** I'll consider that a proper confession, and we'll talk about it - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Thank You. -S

**You:** You're very welcome, love - DH

**You:** I'm glad you like the idea - DH

**Stranger:** When I'm cleaning your sheets? You're going to be there, right? The whole time? -S

**You:** I'll be there - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Good. -S

**You:** I won't abandon you during a punishment, love - DH

**Stranger:** I know. I just...was overthinking again. -S

**You:** That's okay - DH

**You:** It happens - DH

**Stranger:** You don't gag me very often. -S

**You:** No, I don't - DH

**You:** You don't like it, and it doesn't do much of anything for you - DH

**Stranger:** It isn't exactly that I don't like it, it's that I can't concentrate on the scene because I'm too busy overthinking it. -S

**You:** Could you explain that a bit more, please? - DH

**Stranger:** Uh...it's not a big deal. I just...I don't know. It isn't that I don't /want/ to like it, because sometimes even I get sick of the constant noise and wish for peace for a bit. But then I start overthinking and work myself up and then I don't like it anymore because I'm worrying about what could happen instead of staying in the moment. -S

**You:** Being able to talk acts like a safety valve, then? - DH

**Stranger:** You know sometimes I just...get anxiety attacks. I kind of worry that if it happens and I can't talk, I can't explain. Can't warn you. And I know you keep watch, I know you would be able to tell, but then there's the little voice saying what if he gags you to punish you and then the phone rings and he's only gone for a minute, but you freak out, and he isn't there, because what idiot freaks out over a gag he could unbuckle himself, except if I'm panicking, I can't....and then it just...snowballs from there. And I know it's irrational, and I feel guilty for thinking it, because I know you wouldn't do that. I know you wouldn't, Sir. I promise. -S

**You:** [delay] Okay - DH

**You:** First of all, there is nothing wrong with finding it difficult to disobey me when you're panicking, and that includes taking a gag out. In that situation, it makes complete sense that that would be upsetting - DH

**You:** Secondly, we're going to practice using non-verbal signals - DH

**You:** Because I need you to know that you can always communicate with me - DH

**Stranger:** You know it's because I'm messed up, right? It's not anything you're doing wrong. I'm just...too jumpy. Practice non-verbal signals? -S

**You:** Stiles, I am YOUR Dom, not A Dom. That means that if I'm doing something that upsets you, I'm doing something wrong - DH

**Stranger:** You're not though. I'm not upset. I'm just worried about getting an anxiety attack. -S

**You:** And part of my job is to make sure that in a scene, you don't have to worry about anything - DH

**Stranger:** I know I don't with you. You take care of me. You always have. -S

**You:** I always want to - DH

**You:** So we're going to practice communicating without you talking - DH

**Stranger:** How? -S

**You:** At the simplest level, if you snap your fingers, clap, or tap once, twice, or three times, I will interpret that as yes/green, no/yellow, and stop/red respectively - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. That makes sense. -S

**You:** Other than that, we can experiment - DH

**You:** But you have my promise that I will /never/ leave you during a scene, and now you know that even if you can't talk, you can tell me something's wrong - DH

**Stranger:** Thank you, Sir. I did already know that you wouldn't leave me. I just know that sometimes things happen. I think practicing will be good. -S

**You:** Good - DH

**You:** We'll practice without a gag at first, just spending time together without you talking - DH

**You:** When you think you're ready, we'll see if you feel a bit better having a gag in - DH

**Stranger:** You're going to try to get me to not talk? Good luck with that. -S

**You:** I think you can do it - DH

**Stranger:** I'll try. For you. -S

**You:** Good boy - DH


	34. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> post-s5, mpreg, mutual unrequited, feels reveal

**Stranger:**  I think something is wrong with me, Scott. I keep getting sick and I'm gaining a lot of weight and eating way too much. -SS

**You:** Stiles? - DH

**You:** What do you mean, sick? - DH

**Stranger:** Oh, Derek. Sorry. -SS

**Stranger:** Sick as in waking up in the morning and throwing up. -SS

**You:** Have you seen a doctor yet? - DH

**Stranger:** No. I assumed it was just a bug. -SS

**You:** Isn't a bug supposed to pass in a few days? This sounds like it's been going longer than that - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, like 3 months. -SS

**You:** Three months? - DH

**You:** Three months and you haven't seen a doctor? - DH

**You:** What the hell have you been thinking, Stiles? - DH

**Stranger:** That I think I know what's wrong but I don't want it to be true. -SS

**You:** Stiles...it's not - you don't think it's something serious, do you? - DH

 

 

**Stranger:** I think....I think I have what my mom had. -SS

**You:** Stiles... - DH

**Stranger:** I haven't went to the hospital because I don't want it to be true. -SS

**You:** But if you know, won't that mean you can do something about it? - DH

**Stranger:** There's no cure, Derek. -SS

**You:** [delay] What about the bite? - DH

**Stranger:** I....I would make a horrible wolf, Derek. -SS

**You:** I don't give a fuck so long as you're alive - DH

**Stranger:** First I need to go see if it's what I think it is. -SS

**You:** Stiles, if there's anything I can do... - DH

**Stranger:** I'll be fine, Derek. -SS

**Stranger:** [Delayed] I'm not dying. -SS

**You:** [is that a time skip?]

**Stranger:** ((Yeah. Just a few hours.))

**You:** Thank god - DH

**You:** Then what's going on? - DH

**Stranger:** I'm....pregnant. -SS

**You:** [no answer]

**Stranger:** Derek? -SS

**You:** How is that possible? - DH

**You:** Are you sure? - DH

**Stranger:** I'm positive. -SS  
I had Melissa do like eight tests on me. -SS

**You:** Again, how? - DH

**You:** You don't have the...parts - DH

**Stranger:** Spark. Werewolf. -SS  
It's a whole supernatural thing. I talked to Deaton. -SS

**You:** Werewolf? - DH

**Stranger:** You. The only guy I've ever slept with. -SS

**You:** [long delay] Me? - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. You're the father. -SS

**You:** I'm... - DH

**You:** [delay] What do you need from me? - DH

**Stranger:** Nothing....I don't need anything. -SS

**You:** Are you sure? - DH

**You:** Stiles, you know I'll do whatever you need - DH

**Stranger:** I don't need anything, Derek. If I do, I'll tell you. -SS

**You:** Okay - DH

**You:** Are you...will you keep it? - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah....I'm gonna keep it. And you can see the baby whenever you want. -SS

**You:** [delay] Stiles, please let me help you - DH

**You:** With anything, anything at all - DH

**Stranger:** I don't need help with anything right now, Derek. -SS

**You:** I know, but just...later - DH

**Stranger:** Later. -SS

**You:** Thank you - DH

**You:** God, Stiles, thank you - DH

**Stranger:** [No reply]

**You:** I know it wasn't deliberate - god knows nothing about that night was deliberate - but you...it's going to be family - DH

**Stranger:** Of course it wasn't deliberate. You don't want me in that way. -SS

**You:** What? - DH

**You:** Me wanting you has nothing to do with it - DH

**Stranger:** It does considering after we had sex, you pretended it didn't happen. -SS

**You:** Again, that's got nothing to do with me wanting you - DH

**Stranger:** If you wanted me you would have fucking at least said bye before you left. -SS

**You:** [delay] I panicked, and I thought you were asleep - DH

**Stranger:** Whatever, Derek. -SS  
I gotta go. -SS

**You:** I'm sorry I wasn't able to be what you deserved - DH  
I'll help you with the baby whenever you ask - DH

**Stranger:** You were what I wanted. Fuck what I 'deserved'. -SS

**Stranger:** I still want you. -SS

**You:** You know what? No. What you deserve matters. And what you deserve is something better than this goddamned town and its constant dangers and constant drama that never gives you enough back - DH

**You:** If I had my way, you'd find something better, Stiles. Better than me, better than this - DH

**Stranger:** Stop. God. You think so fucking low of yourself, Derek and I'm sick of it. -SS

**Stranger:** What's better for me than someone who has risked his life on multiple occasion to keep me safe? -SS

**You:** A life where you actually /are/ safe. And I could never be a part of that life - DH

**Stranger:** I'm never gonna be safe, no matter if you are with me or not, Derek. I'm a spark. One who can apparently carry children. Me being myself puts me in danger. -SS

**You:** [delay] Fuck - DH

**You:** You should leave - DH

**Stranger:** No. -SS

**Stranger:** This is my home and it's where I'm staying. -SS

**You:** You've practically left the pack already - DH

**Stranger:** I've been sick for the last three months! I've barely left my room. -SS

**Stranger:** Every one from the pack has been to see me. -SS

**Stranger:** Everyone but you. -SS

**You:** Stiles, I treated you terribly. Every time you've talked to me since, you've been angry, and for good reason. I can deal with not seeing you if it makes you more comfortable - DH

**Stranger:** That won't make me comfortable. -SS

**Stranger:** It'll probably just make me depressed. -SS

**You:** I don't understand - DH

**Stranger:** I'm in love with you! -SS

**You:** [no answer]

**Stranger:** [No reply]

**You:** Stiles...why? - DH

**Stranger:** I could literally write you an essay on why I love you. -SS

**You:** I don't understand - DH

**Stranger:** Of course you don't. Just forget I said anything. I'm taking a nap. -SS

**You:** [long delay - during Stiles' nap] I love you because you know how to be afraid and stand strong anyway - DH  
I love you because you're endlessly loyal to those who've earned your loyalty - DH  
I love you because you're enthusiastically curious about everything - DH

**You:** I love you because you're cheerful and funny, and I love you because you know what it is to grieve - DH

**You:** I love you because you are unapologetically and determinedly human - DH

**You:** I love you because you make a third option when things seem hopeless - DH

**You:** I love you because you're stubborn, even though it means we fight - DH

**You:** I love you because you're brave, even though it terrifies me - DH

**You:** I love you because you're good, and you know that sometimes that means not being nice - DH

**You:** I love you because you've never blamed me for my past - DH

**You:** I love you because you've saved me from my enemies and myself - DH

**You:** I love you because you're smart - DH

**You:** I love you because you're more alive than I think I'll ever be - DH

**Stranger:** Okay, stop. -SS

**Stranger:** You're making me all emotional. -SS

**You:** Sorry - DH

**Stranger:** It's okay. -SS  
I didn't think you could be so sweet. SS

**You:** Being sweet means being vulnerable - DH

**You:** I tend to avoid it - DH

**Stranger:** You can be vulnerable with me. -SS

**You:** I know - DH

**Stranger:** I want you, Derek. -SS

**Stranger:** I want to be with you. -SS

**You:** Even with how fucked up everything is? How fucked up /I/ am? - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. You're not fucked up. You're damaged.... -SS  
But so am I. -SS

**You:** You're perfect - DH

**Stranger:** I'm really not. -SS

**You:** You're the most perfect thing I've ever known - DH

**Stranger:** You're making me blush. _SS

**You:** Am I making you smile? - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. -SS

**You:** Good - DH

**Stranger:** I love this side of you. -SS

**You:** What do you mean? - DH

**Stranger:** The side of you that is open with me. is flirty with me. -SS

**You:** I wasn't actually flirting - DH

**You:** I was being honest, and I hoped it was making you smile, because you were upset earlier - DH

**Stranger:** I'm not upset anymore. Kind of hungry actually. -SS

**Stranger:** Can you bring me some curly fries? -SS

**You:** Sure. Anything else you want? - DH

**Stranger:** A burger. And a milkshake. -SS

**You:** Flavour? - DH

**Stranger:** Chocolate. -SS

**You:** And no tomato on the burger? - DH

**Stranger:** Ew, no. Gross. -SS

**You:** Just checking. It's your usual order, but cravings are strange - DH

**Stranger:** No cravings right now. -SS

**You:** Alright - DH

**You:** I don't know how long it will take to get the food, but I'll be there as soon as I can - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. I'll see you when you get here. -SS


	35. New Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> post-break-up, getting back together

  **Stranger:** I've been thinking about things. And I think maybe we made a mistake by ending things. SS

**You:** [delay] What do you mean? - DH

**Stranger:** Breaking up. SS

**Stranger:** Maybe we were...rash. SS

**You:** Stiles, you were so sure I'd only make you unhappy - DH

**Stranger:** And you were convinced I'd leave you. SS

**You:** At least, in the end, it was mutual - DH

**Stranger:** So you did want to break up. SS

**You:** I understood - DH

**You:** It's not the same - DH

**Stranger:** If I hadn't brought it up, would you have? SS

**You:** No - DH

**You:** I was learning to live with the fear - DH

**Stranger:** Yikes. SS

**You:** What? - DH

**Stranger:** No I mean, I love hearing you were learning to live in fear of me. SS

**You:** Not /of/ you - DH

**Stranger:** Of me hurting you. SS

**You:** It wasn't even that, not entirely - DH

**You:** It could as easily have been me hurting you, or something else hurting you or us - DH

**You:** Every good thing comes with the fear of it ending - DH

**Stranger:** I miss you. SS

**You:** I've always missed you - DH

**You:** Even when we were together, I missed you - DH

**Stranger:** I don't understand what went wrong. SS

**You:** You think I do? - DH

**Stranger:** We were so good. God, it was so good. SS

**You:** You made me happy - DH

**You:** I wanted to make you happy too - DH

**Stranger:** You did. SS

**You:** That's good to hear - DH

**Stranger:** Maybe we just went too fast. SS

**You:** It was intense - DH

**Stranger:** We sort of went from zero to a billion. As

**Stranger:** SS*

**You:** Do you think so? - DH

**Stranger:** Maybe a thousand. SS

**Stranger:** No one ever proposed. SS

**You:** [delay] No - DH

**Stranger:** Which is good. SS

**You:** Yes. - DH

**Stranger:** Because we're young. SS

**Stranger:** And we hadn't been together that long. SS

**You:** You have a whole life to live - DH

**Stranger:** And things got bad. SS

**Stranger:** Derek SS

**You:** What? - DH

**Stranger:** Don't do that. SS

**You:** Do what? - DH

**Stranger:** That thing you do where you say broad sad statements like my life is independent of yours. SS

**You:** Isn't it? I thought that was the point of the break up - DH

**Stranger:** I don't know. SS

**You:** You thought that being Stiles and Derek meant we couldn't be ourselves - DH

**You:** You wanted to be just Stiles - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah well. I hate just Stiles. SS

**You:** Don't - DH

**You:** Don't hate any part of you - DH

**Stranger:** Do you still love me? SS

**You:** I'll love you til the world ends, Stiles. Nothing can change that - DH

**You:** Sorry - DH

**Stranger:** No. Don't be. SS

**Stranger:** Me too. SS

**You:** [delay] What? - DH

**You:** I don't understand - DH

**Stranger:** I still love you too. SS

**You:** Why? - DH

**Stranger:** Because you're you. SS

**You:** And? - DH

**You:** I'm nothing special - DH

**Stranger:** You're everything. SS

**You:** ...I don't understand - DH

**You:** Why would you think that? - DH

**Stranger:** I need you to believe you're worth as much as I think you are. SS

**You:** I'm sorry - DH

**Stranger:** But...it's not reasonable for me to expect that overnight. SS

**Stranger:** Or ever. SS

**Stranger:** I have to trust you. And you have to trust me. SS

**You:** I do trust you - DH

**Stranger:** You just don't believe me. SS

**You:** I'm sorry - DH

**You:** I'm trying, it just...doesn't make sense - DH

**Stranger:** I know. SS

**Stranger:** I wish I could fix it. SS

**You:** I wish I could be what you want - DH

**Stranger:** You are. As

**Stranger:** SS*

**You:** But I'm not. That's what you're saying, isn't it? You want someone confident - DH

**Stranger:** No. I want you. SS

**Stranger:** I just want you to believe that I do. SS

**You:** Do you still? - DH

**Stranger:** I will always. SS

**Stranger:** I will always love you. I will always want you. SS

**You:** Then why did you leave? - DH

**Stranger:** I don't know. SS

**Stranger:** I was scared. SS

**Stranger:** Frustrated. SS

**You:** What did I do wrong? - DH

**Stranger:** Nothing. SS

**You:** But you were frustrated - DH

**Stranger:** I had unrealistic expectations. SS

**Stranger:** I felt like you didn't trust me. SS

**You:** I don't trust /me/ to be worthy of you - DH

**Stranger:** I know. SS

**You:** [delay] I was trying - DH

**You:** I...I bought a ring - DH

**You:** I wouldn't have offered it to you until I thought you'd really say yes - DH

**You:** But I thought some day I'd believe it -DH

**Stranger:** I would have. SS

**You:** I'm starting to see that - DH

**You:** But it was also about me thinking that...that you would want to stay with me - DH

**You:** I believed that one day I'd believe that, when I bought the ring - DH

**Stranger:** I wanna try again. SS

**You:** Are you sure? - DH

**Stranger:** I want Stiles and Derek. SS

**Stranger:** I want to say yes to you one day. SS

**Stranger:** I don't like my life without you in it. It's incomplete. SS

**You:** Are you - do you mind waiting? for me to ask? - DH

**Stranger:** Oh god. Yes. Let's wait. SS

**Stranger:** A long time. SS

**Stranger:** I mean. Not super long. SS

**You:** I just meant...for me to be ready - DH

**Stranger:** I'd prefer to still be in my 20s. SS

**Stranger:** Wait. SS

**Stranger:** Wait, do you mean for dating like, at all? SS

**You:** No, that's not what I meant - DH

**You:** I said that - that I would ask you when I...trusted that you wanted to stay - DH

**Stranger:** It's whatever you want. I'm locked in this until you tell me no. I hate that it took me this to figure it out, but I'm crystal on this. SS

**Stranger:** Whenever you want. SS

**Stranger:** If never, it's okay. SS

**Stranger:** There's no expiration date on this. SS

**You:** Stiles... - DH

**Stranger:** What? SS

**You:** I don't deserve how lucky I am, to have you in my life - DH

**Stranger:** What if you do? SS

**You:** If I do what? - DH

**Stranger:** Deserve it. SS

**You:** What have I ever done that's worth this? - DH

**Stranger:** Maybe you could think of something? SS

**You:** ...I defended you against Peter a couple of times? - DH

**You:** But that wasn't this big - DH

**Stranger:** You saved my life. SS

**Stranger:** That's pretty big. SS

**You:** But you paid me back - DH

**Stranger:** Is that why you did it? SS

**You:** So you would pay me back? No - DH

**Stranger:** I don't know if I ever said thank you. SS

**You:** It's not important DH

**Stranger:** Thank you. SS

**You:** Thank /you/ - DH

**Stranger:** For what? SS

**You:** If you're thanking me for helping save your life, then I get to thank you for saving mine - DH

**You:** So thank you - DH

**Stranger:** Don't get hung up on reciprocity, Derek. SS

**Stranger:** You're welcome. SS

**You:** Shouldn't a relationship be equal? - DH

**Stranger:** We should be /equals/ SS

**Stranger:** Does that mean if you cook me dinner, I have to cook you dinner the next night? SS

**You:** I guess not - DH

**Stranger:** If I save your life three times and you save mine four, are we not equal until I've rescued you again? As

**Stranger:** SS*

**You:** We're pack - DH

**Stranger:** Which means? SS

**You:** Which means we protect each other - DH

**Stranger:** Equals doesn't mean everything's always gonna be 50/50. SS

**Stranger:** It just means you love me as much as I love you, and you respect me as much as I respect you. SS

**Stranger:** That's what I need you to believe. I love you every single bit as much as you love me. SS

**You:** I promise I was trying - DH

**Stranger:** I know. SS

**You:** You do? - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. I do now. SS

**You:** Oh - DH

**Stranger:** I was just stupid before. And impatient. And I needed to trust you too. SS

**You:** You weren't stupid - DH

**Stranger:** I was selfish. SS

**You:** No you weren't - DH

**Stranger:** I was. SS

**You:** Why do you think that? - DH

**Stranger:** Because I put my needs above yours. SS

**Stranger:** I put my frustrations and my doubts and my unhappiness in front of the fact that I should have been there for you and I should have had faith in you. SS

**You:** But you were unhappy - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. SS

**You:** Why would my uncertainty be more important than that? - DH

**Stranger:** Because you needed me. SS

**Stranger:** That will always be more important than anything. SS

**You:** It shouldn't be more important than your happiness - DH

**Stranger:** You are my happiness. SS

**You:** [delay] You're amazing, Stiles - DH

**Stranger:** Thanks. SS

**Stranger:** You're pretty wonderful yourself. SS

**You:** I'm grateful that you think so - DH

**Stranger:** I bought one too. SS

**You:** ...you did? - DH

**Stranger:** The second week we started dating. SS

**Stranger:** Which I was never ever going to tell you because it's crazy. SS

**You:** What made you sure of me so soon? - DH

**Stranger:** You don't really get me. SS

**Stranger:** Not perfectly. Not all the time. SS

**You:** No - DH

**You:** I don't - DH

**Stranger:** That's how my dad knew. My mom got him so easily, she knew what he was thinking before he thought it SS

**Stranger:** I asked my mom how it was possible two people could get each other like that, y'know? SS

**You:** What did she say? - DH

**Stranger:** She laughed at me. Said my dad never really understood her completely. SS

**You:** But? - DH

**Stranger:** He got /to/ her. SS

**Stranger:** That's how she knew. SS

**You:** I don't really know anything about love - DH

**Stranger:** You get to me. You always have. SS

**Stranger:** You weren't even trying and you got under my skin. In my heart. SS

**Stranger:** I was thinking about you all day, every day. SS

**Stranger:** And we started dating and it didn't stop. SS

**You:** And then? - DH

**You:** Something went wrong - DH

**Stranger:** I made stupid mistakes. SS

**You:** It has to be at least partly my fault - DH

**Stranger:** You have your issues and I have mine. SS

**Stranger:** But I was asking you to have faith in my love, to believe me that you were a worthy person, and then I didn't trust you to keep trying when it didn't work. SS

**You:** I failed you - DH

**Stranger:** How are you supposed to have faith in me when I didn't have faith in you? SS

**You:** Faith is hard, for me - DH

**You:** Trust is hard - DH

**Stranger:** I know. SS

**You:** I'm learning - DH

**You:** You've been teaching me how - DH

**You:** [brb]

**Stranger:** If I spend the rest of my life proving to you that you're a worthwhile person, I'll be happy. SS

**You:** You know I'll keep trying. For you. - DH

**Stranger:** I know. SS

**Stranger:** Let's start slow, though. SS

**You:** Whatever you want - DH

**Stranger:** I want this to be the rest of our lives. SS

**You:** [delay] I have an idea. About the rings - DH

**Stranger:** Tell me SS

**You:** I could wear yours as a sign that I'm trying, and you're...willing to wait for me - DH

**You:** And then, when I'm ready, you could wear mine as I sign that I believe in us - DH

**Stranger:** But if you're wearing a ring I want to wear one. SS

**Stranger:** We're in this together. SS

**You:** You're right - DH

**You:** Sorry - DH

**Stranger:** I love your idea, though. SS

**Stranger:** What about this. SS

**Stranger:** What if we got new rings. Together. SS

**Stranger:** Save the ones we have for when we get married. SS

**Stranger:** But we wear promise rings. SS

**You:** To show that we're...trying, and we'll wait? - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. Signs. Just like you said. SS

**You:** I...thank you. I think something like that will help - DH

**Stranger:** What else? SS

**You:** Help me to...make a life, that you would want to live? - DH

**You:** So I have something to offer you - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. SS

**You:** And, with the rings - we should swap them, sometimes - DH

**You:** Our fingers aren't the same size, but we could wear them around our necks - DH

**Stranger:** Whenever you want, just ask and we can swap. SS

**You:** And they'd both have both of our scents, then - DH

**Stranger:** How long does it take for a scent to be like... In a metal thing? As

**Stranger:** SS*

**You:** It doesn't hold scent as easily as cloth or wood or leather, or even bone or ivory or horn - DH

**You:** But it does hold it - DH

**You:** Hands and necks are good for scent, anyway - DH

**Stranger:** Where else? SS

**You:** On the body? Armpits. Groin - DH

**Stranger:** So for efficiency, you're saying spending a day or two in bed running my hands all over you, wearing my ring, would be ideal? SS

**You:** /Stiles/ - DH

**Stranger:** Sorry. SS

**You:** You can't just...say that - DH

**Stranger:** Why? SS

**You:** Because - because you said you wanted to take it slow - DH

**Stranger:** I did. SS

**You:** Then please don't say things like that - DH

**Stranger:** We did just agree to promise rings. SS

**You:** That's different - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. SS

**Stranger:** Sexy talk is finito. SS

**You:** Fuck, Stiles, it wasn't just sexy - DH

**Stranger:** What was it? SS

**You:** I'd /cry/ if you did that - DH

**Stranger:** I want to SS

**Stranger:** I don't even really want to have sex with you right now SS

**You:** You don't? - DH

**Stranger:** I just wanna touch you. SS

**You:** I've missed being touched - DH

**Stranger:** We don't have to. SS

**Stranger:** Physical stuff can wait. SS

**Stranger:** I'm 100% okay with that SS

**You:** It's just that that - what you said - it's so much - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Then we won't. SS

**You:** I want it. But now's not the time - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. You're right. SS

**You:** Sorry - DH

**Stranger:** Don't be. SS

**Stranger:** Thank you for being honest. SS

**You:** You don't mind? - DH

**Stranger:** Not at all. SS

 


	36. Coping methods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek and Stiles discuss panic attacks and other mental health problems
> 
> unesdtablished

 

 

**You:** Werewolves can still have mental health problems, right? - SS

**Stranger:** Yes. DH

**You:** I wonder how that works with the brain chemistry thing - SS

**You:** Do antidepressants and stuff work on werewolves? - SS

**Stranger:** No they dont. Our body chemistry works differently is all. The healing is more of a flesh tissue thing, the effect the change has on chemistry and hormones is different. It basically just amplifies things, makes them more intense. DH  
Antidepressants have no effect whatsoever. DH  
And with panic attacks, normally a human would pass out from lack of oxygen so that their body will start to breathe normally again and get themselves right. Wheras with us, we dont pass out, so the attacks just keep going, and going, and going. DH

**You:** Oh my god - SS

**You:** That's horrible - SS

**Stranger:** Yes it is. DH

**Stranger:** If there's nothing to help you get out of it, it can go... basically until you're so exhausted you just fall asleep. DH

**You:** Have you...seen that happen? - SS

**Stranger:** I've experienced it. DH

**You:** Jesus Christ, Derek - SS

**Stranger:** You get used to it after a while. Its not as bad as it sounds. DH

**You:** I've been having panic attacks for years, dude, and I've never 'got used to it' - SS

**You:** I'm pretty sure it's at /least/ as bad as it sounds - SS

**Stranger:** Well, its been eleven years now so I... you know. Its... when it happens I just sort of accept it instead of trying to stop it. DH  
And okay, it isnt pleasant, but there's nothing to be done. DH

**You:** You still get them? - SS

**You:** Has anyone or anything managed to break you out of it? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah I do. I sort of, have this thing. It calms me down while its happening and makes it less unbearable. But I havent found anything that really snaps me out of it. I mean, Laura could. Laura always used to sing to me when I got them. But yeah, since she died nothing. DH

**You:** How come no one knows about this? - SS

**Stranger:** Its not like I advertise it. And then, some days when I just blank out... usually no one is around. So I can just wait for it to pass, however long it is. DH

**You:** Christ - SS

**Stranger:** Its fine. I usually cant get out of bed. Or if I do I just sort of wander aimlessly around my apartment till I fall asleep again. DH

**You:** Okay, first of all, I'm going to check on you more - SS

**You:** Because you shouldn't have to live with this - SS

**You:** Secondly, if I'm around when it happens I'm going to try and get you out of it - SS

**You:** And third, I'm going to talk to the pack about functional ways to get people out of panic attacks - SS

**Stranger:** What? Why do you have to get the pack involved? I dont want them to know about this. DH

**You:** Dude, they'll assume I'm talking about me - SS

**You:** Everyone knows I get panic attacks - SS

**You:** And I honestly would appreciate it if they stopped trying to surprise and/or confuse me out of them - SS

**You:** But that way, if they're around when it happens, they might be able to help - SS

**Stranger:** What works for you? Have you tried grounding? DH

**You:** I use breathing stuff - someone guiding me can help with that - SS

**You:** Touch can be good, but not if it's sudden or unexpected - SS

**You:** People talking at me and distracting me is good - it gives me something to focus on - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. That's good. I can do the first one for sure. DH

**Stranger:** I'd suck at the third one. DH

**You:** Dude, my dad has literally told me about going grocery shopping before - SS

**Stranger:** No I'd really suck. I could text you and distract you. But actual 'talking'. No. DH

**Stranger:** I will try. But I will suck. DH

**You:** Thanks for being willing to try - SS

**Stranger:** That's alright, if it'll help you I'll try it. DH

**You:** At least I know you'll be patient - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, I know how much it helps to just... have someone there. So even if you want to just sit side by side for a few hours, I'm good with that. DH

**You:** Thanks - SS

**Stranger:** Welcome. DH

**You:** Hey - will you promise me something? - SS

**Stranger:** Depends what it is. DH

**You:** Next time you have one of yours...let me know? - SS

**Stranger:** The panic attacks or the 'blank' days? DH

**You:** Either - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. I'll try. DH

**You:** Thanks - SS

**You:** I just...don't want you to be alone with that - SS

**Stranger:** Its not so bad... being alone. Its safer... DH

**You:** Would I make you feel unsafe? - SS

**Stranger:** No. No you never make me feel unsafe... weirdly. Because most other people do. But you're fine. DH  
I just meant generally. DH

**You:** I disagree - SS

**Stranger:** I know. DH

**You:** Quite apart from the loneliness - I know damn well I owe my life to you, and various other people - SS

**You:** Being alone would make me more vulnerable, not less - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. Alright. DH

**Stranger:** I owe my life to you too. DH

**You:** Thanks for acknowledging that, I guess - SS

**Stranger:** I mean, I dont feel like I owe you, because that wouldnt be a good basis for a friendship or whatever else. And I know we've both saved each others lives a lot. DH  
But what I mean is that I want you to know that I'm grateful, for you, for everything you do for me and for our pack, and I really admire you. DH

**You:** You admire me? - SS

**Stranger:** I do. DH

**You:** I wouldn't have guessed it - SS

**You:** Same here, you know? - SS

**Stranger:** I've no idea why you'd admire me. But thank you. DH

**You:** [delay] You know that Batman is my favourite superhero, right? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah? DH  
Oh well, then I guess I do get it. DH

**You:** You protect, dude - SS

**You:** All that shit in your life, and you still just want to protect people - SS

**Stranger:** Well... I have various reasons for doing that. So I guess I'm not all bad. I mean, I suppose the fact that I still get out of bed nearly every day is something. DH

**You:** It's fucking amazing - SS

**Stranger:** Thank you Stiles. DH

**You:** And I mean, think about Matt - he's not the only murderer to try to justify his actions with some kind of trauma - SS

**You:** Peter, Deucalion...they both started off as the wronged party, responding to hunter violence - SS

**Stranger:** Thats why I like villains like the Joker. He doesnt try and justify his actions. All he ever wants to do is cause chaos, and he never tries to defend himself, he's like yes, I know I'm evil, I'm going to carry on with that, lets have fun. Always a better storyline than other boring villains. DH

**You:** I enjoy the escapism of it more now than I used to - SS

**You:** And since when do you read comics? - SS

**Stranger:** I dont. DH

**Stranger:** I like the movies. DH

**Stranger:** The Batman Begins. Heath Ledger. That stuff. DH

**You:** Those movies are depressing as hell, though - SS

**Stranger:** I dont know. I just cant pretend to have read comics in order to impress you. I did read this graphic novel about Arkham once though. DH

**You:** Yeah? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah it was set from the point of view of a nurse who worked there. DH

**You:** God, that would be a terrifying job - SS

**You:** They must have nerves of steel - SS

**Stranger:** I feel like I already have experience, what with Peter and all. I'd do okay. DH

**You:** I'm trying to imagine you as a nurse - SS

**You:** But I just keep getting caught on the mental image of you in scrubs - SS

**Stranger:** I dont know if that's good or bad. DH

**You:** Doesn't exactly fit with the leather jacket look - SS

**Stranger:** I wear other stuff. DH

**You:** Yeah, I know, but the leather's hard to forget - SS

**Stranger:** It was my brother's jacket. That's why I wear it all the time. DH

**You:** Oh - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, its why its too big in the shoulders. It'd probably fit you actually, you have broad shoulders nowadays. dh

**Stranger:** DH*

**You:** I'm pretty skinny, dude - SS

**Stranger:** You've got more muscle than you think you do. Everyone else sees it. Its like when you look in a mirror you see something else than what the rest of the world sees. As literally anyone. DH

**You:** Well, I do spend all my time hanging around with bulked up werewolves - SS

**Stranger:** And you keep up with us. DH

**Stranger:** In fact, you hold your own. DH

**Stranger:** So... that in itself should be a sign. DH

**You:** That I'm too stubborn for my own good? - SS

**Stranger:** Whatever. DH

**Stranger:** I'm not going to try and argue about your attractiveness with you. That's not a thing I want to get into. DH

**You:** Wait, attractiveness? I thought we were just talking about my shoulders? - SS

**Stranger:** I'm not even sure anymore. DH

**You:** No, go on, shore up my fragile ego, tell me how pretty I am - SS

**Stranger:** No. DH

**You:** :( - SS

**Stranger:** Stop it. If you want to feel attractive, you need to realise it for yourself. If you seek reassurance from others to get your self worth it wont be worth as much. DH

**You:** Aw. You sound like the fairy godmother at the end of the movie - SS

**Stranger:** You're being ridiculous now. DH

**You:** You love it - SS

**Stranger:** No. I dont. I dont like the way you're always selling yourself short. DH

**You:** You do it too - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah but that's different. Physicality is a fact. You can see it. All that mental stuff, that's fine to be insecure and all about, because its natural and everyone does it. But you're attractive, and you need to accept it and move on. DH

**You:** Attractiveness and physicality aren't the same thing - SS

**You:** Attractiveness is about how other people see you - SS

**You:** And so far I have absolutely zero evidence that people find me attractive, so I'm just being rational about it - SS

**Stranger:** Wrong. DH

**You:** That I have no evidence? You're not the one who gets to judge that, dude - SS

**Stranger:** Just generally. You're just generally wrong. DH

**Stranger:** I'm not going to go into it. DH

**Stranger:** I didnt sign up for this. DH

**You:** It's fine, Derek - SS

**You:** Don't worry about it - SS

**Stranger:** Ugh. DH

**Stranger:** Would you just... please... realise that people are attracted to you? DH

**Stranger:** Please? Would you just /try/. Because they are, you just have to let yourself see it. DH

**You:** Well, if you and your wolfy nose say it's so, I guess I'll give it a shot - SS

**Stranger:** Good. Thank you. DH

**You:** Why is this so important to you? - SS

**You:** Sorry, you said you didn't want to talk about it - I'll change the subject - SS

**Stranger:** It just, I think that if you only knew how many people adored you, you might... feel less like people dont pay attention to you, sometimes. I want... you... dammit. DH  
You said earlier... you didnt like to feel alone. Well you arent, and... You know. you.. should know that, and see it. Or... DH  
I... dammit. I dont know. DH

**Stranger:** That made no sense. DH

**You:** No, I think I kind of get it - SS

**You:** You're saying that part of why I feel alone sometimes, or worry about feeling that way, is because I don't notice people caring about me - SS

**Stranger:** Yes. I think that's what I meant. DH

**You:** Maybe - SS

**Stranger:** I dont know. I want you to be happy. That's what I know. DH

**You:** Thanks, sourwolf - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. DH

**Stranger:** Okay. DH

**You:** Same here, you know - SS

**Stranger:** I know. You're great, you're that kind of person you just... want everyone you care about to be happy, loyalty is... its a rare thing. I'm very lucky to be counted among the people you care about. DH

**You:** You earned it long ago - SS

**Stranger:** I appreciate and value your presence in my life Stiles. DH

**You:** You're being really formal all of a sudden - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah I know. DH  
Just go with it and move on, it wont get less weird anytime soon if you point it out. DH

**You:** Well...thank you - SS

**You:** And seriously, same here - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah? DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**Stranger:** Well... thank you. DH

**You:** You're welcome - SS

**Stranger:** I'm sorry for threatening to rip your throat out with my teeth that time. And for smacking your head against the steering wheel after you made me strip for Danny. And for shoving you against various walls. And being aggressive. DH

**You:** I forgave you for all that ages ago - SS

**You:** In retrospect, it was pretty obvious that aggression was just you being freaked out - SS

**You:** And I'm sorry for the Danny thing. And getting you arrested. And threatening to let you die a bunch of times - SS

**Stranger:** Ah that's okay. I can understand why you did that. DH  
Getting arrested and accused of murdering my sister was... not one of my better days. But I dont blame you for anything. I understand your reasoning and all that... you couldnt have known. DH

**You:** Yeah, well, I shouldn't have treated Laura's death like just another puzzle - SS

**You:** Once we knew it wasn't you, I should have realised you'd be grieving - SS

**Stranger:** You didnt know her. She was just another dead body. DH

**Stranger:** That wasnt your fault? DH

**You:** She was your sister - SS

**You:** I know what it's like to lose family, Derek. I should have been more sympathetic - SS

**Stranger:** I miss her. DH

**You:** I'll listen if you want to talk about it - SS

**Stranger:** Its just... she was all I had, after the fire. She was all I had in the whole world. DH  
I dont tell people this... but I didnt speak. After it happened. And I mean, not a single word. For years. DH

**You:** How did Laura deal with that? - SS

**Stranger:** She was so good about it. I know it must have been so hard on her, because she'd lost them all too. And I blamed myself. I still blame myself most days. But she never... never looked at me like I was the one responsible. I was just her little brother. I didnt change, in her eyes. And that was the most important thing. She was alpha, and she was trying to deal with all of this new stuff, looking after me as well as trying to have a life of her own. And she managed it. And because she knew how important communication was she always told me everything. We'd just curl up on the couch and she'd talk about her day, about what she was worrying about, what she was happy about... and when I asked for things, well, when I found ways of asking her for things, she never hesitated to get me what I needed so that I could find my little ways of staying just barely in touch with the world. DH

**You:** She must have been a very strong person - SS

**Stranger:** She was my superhero. DH

**Stranger:** She used to come down to visit Peter once a month. DH

**Stranger:** She always asked if I wanted to come, and I always said no... because I was a coward. DH

**Stranger:** And if... if I'd said yes.... if I'd come with her... she might not be dead right now. DH

**You:** Or you might be dead instead - SS

**You:** Or both of you - SS

**Stranger:** I'd rather she'd lived. I'd rather any of them had... if I could give my life for one of theirs I would. Without a moment's hesitation. DH

**You:** I understand - SS

**You:** But I'd beg you not to - SS

**Stranger:** I have this... this toy thing. Its my thing. That I talked about earlier, that I use to help it hurt less. DH

**You:** Yeah? - SS

**Stranger:** It was Cora's. Its this little... this little bunny soft toy thing. DH

**You:** I'm glad you have something like that - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. Do you have anything, of your mom's? DH

**You:** A lot of her things are in the attic now - SS

**You:** We got to the point where seeing reminders hurt more than seeing the absence of them, so we put them away - SS

**Stranger:** I cant imagine that point. But that must have been hard. DH

**You:** Dad was ready before I was - SS

**You:** I was young when she died - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. DH

**Stranger:** I know. DH

**You:** It took years - SS

**You:** And we've kept nearly all of it - SS

**Stranger:** What was she like? DH

**You:** Playful. Imaginative. Smart - SS

**You:** She was always really patient with me, rolled with whatever randomness my brain came up with - SS

**Stranger:** She sounds great. DH

**You:** She was the best - SS

**You:** Of all the things I miss about her, it's her laugh I miss the most - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah? DH

**You:** It's not that Dad doesn't have a sense of humor, but his is more dry - SS

**You:** Mom loved silly things, and she loved laughing and making me laugh - SS

**Stranger:** Making you laugh. I cant think of a better thing. DH

**You:** After she died, it was a couple of years before I could again - SS

**You:** At least without freaking out - SS

**Stranger:** I understand that. DH

**You:** I figured you would - SS

**Stranger:** I'm glad that you can do it now though. I like your laugh. DH

**You:** Scott was great about it - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah? DH

**You:** It took him a while to realise what was going on, because when someone's sad all the time, it's not weird that they don't laugh - SS

**You:** But when I started getting better a bit, he initially encouraged me to be cheerful and happy and whatever - SS

**You:** And he figured it out after...I think it was the second time I had a panic attack after laughing? - SS

**You:** And then he pretty much stopped telling me jokes and stuff - SS

**You:** Not completely, but he kept it quieter - SS

**You:** Stopped tickling me - SS

**You:** He never made a big deal about it - SS

**Stranger:** Is that... good or bad? DH

**You:** That he didn't push? - SS

**Stranger:** That he stopped telling you jokes and stuff. DH

**You:** I was really grateful at the time - SS

**You:** That he got it - SS

**You:** I'm even more grateful now that he was willing to do that just because I was messed up - SS

**Stranger:** Then that's good. DH

**Stranger:** I'm glad you had him. DH

**You:** I owe him a lot, you know? - SS

**Stranger:** I know why you feel that you do. DH

**You:** He owes me a lot too - SS

**Stranger:** Yes. True. Very true. DH

**You:** Gee, I can see who /you/ like better - SS

**Stranger:** Alright alright, so I'm a little biased. I like Scott, you know I do. But I worry that you feel you have to put up with some of the shit he pulls. DH

**You:** We do fight about this shit, you know - SS

**Stranger:** You do? DH

**You:** Between the two of us, yeah - SS

**You:** I'll stand by Scott through anything, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with him all the time - SS

**Stranger:** Well that... that's really lifted a weight from my mind actually. Thank you for sharing that with me. DH

**Stranger:** I'm glad that that's a thing. That you two talk. DH

**You:** What did you think was going on? - SS

**Stranger:** That he was taking you for granted and you were letting him get away with putting you on hold because you're a good person and a loyal friend and you put everyone else before yourself even when its stupid. DH

**You:** Wow - SS

**You:** I thought you were going to say that I was letting him get away with doing stupid shit to other people - SS

**Stranger:** No. Never. You'd call him out on that so fast his head would spin. DH

**Stranger:** You are amazing, basically, I just want everyone to treat you like you deserve to be treated. With respect and admiration and... etc. DH

**You:** Yeah, well, I wasn't fast enough to stop him a couple of times - SS

**Stranger:** Its not your responsibility Stiles. DH

**Stranger:** Scott is a grown man, just like you. DH

**You:** Well, there are people who'd argue with the 'grown up' aspect, but I take your point - SS

**Stranger:** Well. He may not be mature but he doesnt need a babysitter anymore. You're supporting him, not babysitting him. DH  
You dont have to feel like its your fault if he does dumb shit. DH

**You:** It's still my responsibility to call him out on it - SS

**Stranger:** Well, if you miss it, you shouldnt feel too bad. He does a lot of dumb shit. DH

**You:** Hah. Yeah, kind of - SS

**Stranger:** But then, so do you. DH

**You:** Hey! - SS

**Stranger:** Well. DH

**You:** I am an awesome planner! I make awesome plans! - SS

**Stranger:** You do. Your plans are great, they are. Honestly we should all just listen to your plans always. DH  
I'm not saying that that is the dumb shit that you do. But you do dumb shit, its just different. DH

**You:** Like? - SS

**Stranger:** Like... like lots of stuff. Too many stuff to count. DH

**You:** You can't prove your point unless you give me an example - SS

**Stranger:** Lydia. DH

**You:** That's a person - SS

**You:** Not something I've done - SS

**Stranger:** That's my example. You liked her... so you let her treat you like shit. For years. That's my example. DH

**You:** She just ignored me - SS

**Stranger:** Still. DH


	37. Not just fuckbuddies

 

 

**You:** So, uh...yesterday? With the whole literal fantasy fulfilment thing? That was awesome. Amazing. Fucking fantastic. - SS  
Please tell me there's some way I can return the favour - SS

**Stranger:** It was that good, uh? -DH

**You:** It was pretty damn good - SS

**You:** Go ahead. Puff up your chest. Be proud, manly man. - SS

**Stranger:** Ha. So funny. I just like to know that you enjoy stuff with me. -DH

**You:** I know - SS

**You:** And, you know, vice versa - SS

**You:** So tell me something you're gonna enjoy, go on - SS

**Stranger:** Take me out on a date. -DH

**You:** Wait, seriously? - SS  
Out of everything you could ask for, you want a date? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. And then maybe you could fuck me in your car, but mostly I want a date. -DH

**You:** Holy shit - SS

**Stranger:** what? -DH

**You:** I didn't think you'd really be interested in dating me - SS

**Stranger:** Let me be the judge of that. -DH

**You:** Huh - SS

**Stranger:** I'm okay with just sex in your car if you don't want to go on a date. -DH

**You:** No, I do! - SS

**You:** I really, really do - SS

**You:** A lot - SS

**Stranger:** And don't worry, I'll bring a sheet to avoid getting the seats dirty and all. -DH

**Stranger:** are you sure? -DH

**You:** You're ridiculously practical, you know that? - SS

**You:** And of course I'm sure, I was sure three years ago - SS

**Stranger:** hey! I'm thoughtful. -DH

**Stranger:** When you glared at me the whole time? -DH

**You:** There were...circumstances - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, I know. -DH

**You:** Well, just because it was possibly the most awkward date ever doesn't mean I didn't want to date you - SS

**You:** We just failed at it - SS

**You:** And apparently each assumed the other didn't want to give it a second try - SS

**Stranger:** We can do better this time. I know what you are passionate about, what your interests are, I like your sense of humour and I know how your face looks when you're having an orgasm, not to mention that I know how that tastes like. How wrong can it go? -DH

**Stranger:** Yeah apparently. -DH

**You:** Do /not/ jinx us, Derek Hale - SS

**Stranger:** Sorry! -DH

**You:** Eh. If it goes perfectly I'll figure we're jinxed anyway - SS

**Stranger:** Why? -DH

**You:** Nothing, /nothing/ in our relationship has ever gone perfectly - SS

**Stranger:** I like it though. I mean, yes, I would want some things to change but I like us. -DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**You:** It's imperfect, but that means it's real - SS

**You:** 'Perfect' relationships are kinda uncanny valley - SS

**Stranger:** they're boring. and we're not boring. -DH

**You:** No. Never that - SS

**Stranger:** So where are you taking me? -DH

**You:** I don't know, dude - movies? And then the diner? - SS

**You:** Or do you want to be wined and dined? - SS

**Stranger:** no wine, I want to be perfectly sober. the diner and movies sound good. -DH

**You:** Cool - SS

**Stranger:** perfect. bring condoms. -DH

**You:** Ah, Derek. Ever the romantic - SS

**You:** Yeah, I'll bring condoms - SS

**Stranger:** hush, you like me, romantic or not. -DH

**You:** Yeah, yeah - SS

**Stranger:** I'll hold your hand during the movie if you need romance. -DH

**You:** You were the one who wanted a date - SS

**Stranger:** didn't you want that too? -DH

**You:** Well, yeah, but stop derailing the banter, dude - you're the one who actually asked - SS

**Stranger:** It's like with that thing yesterday. We both wanted that, one of us suggested it first, that's all. -DH

**You:** Yeah, okay, point - SS

**Stranger:** I'll keep score. -DH

**You:** Of course you will - SS

**Stranger:** someone has to. -DH

**You:** [delay] Our relationship is weird - SS

**Stranger:** I thought we had already acknowledged that. -DH

**Stranger:** I thought we had already acknowledged that. -DH

**You:** Yeah, no, you're right - SS

**You:** I just...what are we, dude? - SS

**You:** Because we were friends, and then we kind of considered being boyfriends, but that crashed and burned, and then we ended up...this - SS

**Stranger:** we're... us? I don't know. We're something. We're not just friends. I don't like thinking that we're friends with benefits, but I don't think we've ever really been a couple. Not officially at least. -DH

**Stranger:** yeah. -DH

**You:** I know - SS

**Stranger:** I treat you like a boyfriend though. Minus the dates and PDA. -DH

**You:** I wouldn't know - SS

**You:** It's not like I've had a boyfriend before - SS

**Stranger:** you had a girlfriend though. it's not that different. -DH

**You:** Me and Malia was kind of fucked up - SS

**You:** I don't think I should judge /any/ relationship by that standard - SS

**Stranger:** yeah, right. -DH

**You:** Is that agreement or sarcasm? - SS

**Stranger:** look at Scott's relationships then. Take off the PDA and dating part to it, our relations is not that different. -DH

**Stranger:** agreement. sorry. -DH

**You:** Nah, it's cool - SS

**You:** Do you /want/ us to be like a proper couple? - SS

**Stranger:** Yes. -DH

**Stranger:** do you? -DH

**You:** Yeah. I'd like that - SS

**Stranger:** good then. -DH

**You:** Good - SS


	38. Still Compatible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ace!Derek

 

 

**You:** I know I already said yes to the date, but...there's something you should know first - DH

**Stranger:** Uh, okay? -SS

**You:** There's things I won't be able to do with you. Not because of you. It would be the same with anyone - DH

**Stranger:** What do you mean? -SS

**You:** [delay] I don't do sex - DH

**Stranger:** Oh thank god I thought you were gonna say you just didn't like me. -SS

**Stranger:** That's fine. :) -SS

**You:** Are you sure? - DH

**Stranger:** Of course. It's not the most important thing. -SS

**You:** Maybe not, but it's generally AN important thing - DH

**Stranger:** Nah. That's just what society wants you to think. -SS

**You:** I'm not going to change, Stiles - DH

**Stranger:** Okay? -SS

**Stranger:** Asexual people exist, I know this. -SS

**You:** Yes, but that doesn't mean you were prepared for dating one - DH

**Stranger:** I don't mind. Seriously. -SS

**You:** People generally change their minds about that - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Well, I won't. -SS

**You:** Okay - DH

**Stranger:** Well, I'm glad that's cleared up. But what isn't is what makes you uncomfortable. Like, french kissing. Good or bad? -S

**Stranger:** -SS*

**You:** Not bad. A little strange - DH

**Stranger:** Hmm, okay. So not often. What all are you okay with? -SS

**You:** Hugs. Chaste kisses. Cuddling. Hands in my hair - DH

**You:** It's when you start to get aroused that it's strange - DH

**You:** Sorry - DH

**Stranger:** No problem. What about sleeping together? Like in a bed not the sex thing. -SS

**You:** Good - DH

**Stranger:** Good, cause I love naps. -SS

**You:** It really doesn't bother you? - DH

**Stranger:** Nope. -SS

**Stranger:** The only thing that bothers me is that I might make you uncomfortable by accident. I don't want that. -SS

**You:** But you want sex. I KNOW you want sex - DH

**Stranger:** I'm just a horny teenager. It's not like I'll die without it. I still have my hand. -SS

**You:** But you could date someone else, who COULD give you that - DH

**Stranger:** Or, even better, I can date you who I'm romantically interested in. -SS

**You:** Stiles - DH

**Stranger:** Derek. -SS

**You:** You'll get frustrated - DH

**Stranger:** Again, I have my hand. -SS

**You:** You'll get sick of that - DH

**Stranger:** Nah. -SS

**Stranger:** Der, if you don't want to date me, fine. But if you do, you don't need to keep trying to convince me not to. -SS

**You:** I want to date you, Stiles. I just don't want you to break up with me a few months down the line because I won't let you fuck me - DH

**You:** It's happened before - DH

**Stranger:** Okay, I can understand why you're worried about that. But I'm not going to do that. -SS

**You:** [delay] Okay - DH

**You:** I trust you - DH

**Stranger:** Okay, good. I want you to feel comfortable in this. -SS

**You:** Just...don't make yourself uncomfortable either, okay? - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. So, where do you want to go for our date? -SS

**You:** Somewhere quiet enough that we can talk - DH

**Stranger:** Fancy-ish dinner? -SS

**You:** Sure - DH

**Stranger:** Awesome! -SS

**Stranger:** ((i will brb :3

**Stranger:** ((i am here

**You:** What day suits you? - DH

**Stranger:** Literally any day. I have no life. -SS

**You:** You do more than I do - DH

**Stranger:** Oh please. My days revolve around video games. -SS

**You:** Would Wednesday be alright, then? It'll be easier to get a table on a weekday - DH

**Stranger:** Sounds perfect. -SS

**You:** Good. When should I pick you up? - DH

**Stranger:** Seven? -SS

**You:** Sounds good - DH

**Stranger:** Well, now I'm excited. -SS

**You:** You are? - DH

**Stranger:** Hell yeah! -SS

**You:** Oh - DH

**You:** Good - DH

**Stranger:** I hope you are too. -SS

**You:** I am, I'm just...it's still sinking in - DH

**Stranger:** That I'm not a total jerk? I know, it surprises everyone. -SS

**You:** You don't have to be a jerk to not want to date me - DH

**Stranger:** Yes I would. -SS

**You:** I don't agree - DH

**Stranger:** Too bad, because I do. -SS

**You:** Sexual compatability matters - DH

**Stranger:** It's a dumb thing not to date someone over. -SS

**You:** No it's not - DH

**Stranger:** It is when they say they're okay with it then dump you. -SS

**You:** So the non-jerk thing is to say it straight out - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. I guess. I don't know, I just think it's stupid. -SS

**You:** Well, I'm grateful that you so - DH

**Stranger:** You're a very wonderful person. -SS

**You:** Thanks? - DH

**You:** Why do you say that? - DH

**Stranger:** You just are. And it makes me sad thinking people just dumped you for that. -SS

**Stranger:** Then again, I get to reap the benefits of their shitty decisions. -SS

**You:** You aren't even in the same league as them. You're amazing - DH

**Stranger:** Aawww. Thank you. -SS

 

 


	39. Baby, Don't Hurt You No More

 

 

**Stranger:** Okay, so, that was bad. That was... a really bad fight. SS

**You:**  Yeah - DH

**Stranger:**  And. Um. For the record, sorry. For what I said, during it. It crossed, like, all the lines. SS

**You:** It did. There are things I shouldn't have said either - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. We're both kind of assholes. Maybe we could, you know, try something different? SS

**You:** [delay] Like what? - DH

**Stranger:** This new aged thig, heard it does wonders. Talking? SS

**You:** What am I supposed to say, Stiles? - DH

**Stranger:** You bring up your issues. I bring up my issues. We make an effort to understand where the other is coming from and try to reach an... understanding, I guess? SS

**You:** [delay] I'll try - DH

**Stranger:** Great. Good. Okay. I mean, better than shouting at each other, right? SS

**You:** It would be hard to be worse - DH

**Stranger:** True. Kind of really true. SS

**You:** You go first - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Okay, uh. SS

**Stranger:** Sometimes, you scare the shit out of me. SS

**You:** Oh - DH

**Stranger:** ...wait, that sounds bad. SS

**You:** How was it meant to sound? - DH

**Stranger:** I don't mean you. I mean, just-your actions? What you do, sometimes, scares the shit out of me. How you treat yourself. SS

**You:** Not you - DH

**Stranger:** What? SS

**You:** Not how I treat you, that isn't what scares you - DH

**Stranger:** Oh. /Oh/. No, no, not how you treat me. SS

**You:** Okay - DH

**You:** That's good - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. Yeah, that isn't- that's not what I mean. I trust you, Derek, I'm not scared of /you/. SS

**You:** I wouldn't hurt you - DH

**You:** I won't let you be hurt - DH

**Stranger:** I know. I know, Derek. It's just the second part of that that scares me. SS

**You:** Why? - DH

**You:** I want to protect you - DH

**Stranger:** I know. But you have this habit of- you disregard your own safety. /That's/ what scares me. I don't want you getting yourself bloody and beaten just to protect me. SS

**You:** It's not important - DH

**You:** I heal - DH

**Stranger:** Just because you heal doesn't make it hurt any less. It's extremely important, jesus. SS

**Stranger:** I don't- I can't watch you die trying to protect me. SS

**You:** I'm not going to die - DH

**You:** I mean, eventually, but not now - DH

**Stranger:** I know /eventually/, but eventually is, like, ninety years from now, old and happy and doing grumpyface at grandkids. Not in the middle of the woods, getting skewered trying to protect me. SS

**You:** Stiles...what if I didn't? - DH

**You:** I'd rather be beaten and burned and stabbed and gutted a hundred times than have to watch you hurt - DH

**Stranger:** [Short delay] That's a mutual thing, Derek. SS

**You:** But I heal - DH

**You:** It won't last, for me - DH

**You:** I can take it - DH

**Stranger:** Just because you can doesn't mean you should have to. SS

**Stranger:** It doesn't mean you should /suffer/. SS

**You:** If I could choose for all of us to be safe and healthy and never get hurt, don't you think I'd do it? - DH

**You:** But I can't - DH

**Stranger:** I know. I know you would. But you don't always have to be the one to be hurt. SS

**Stranger:** Let someone protect you for a change. SS

**You:** [delay] If you, or anyone in the pack died, and there was any way for me to have prevented it, I couldn't live with myself - DH

**Stranger:** I'm not saying- just. We watch each others backs, right? Pack takes care of pack. That includes you. SS

**You:** I appreciate that - DH

**You:** But I will always take that bullet - DH

**Stranger:** Derek, buddy, it's not going to be pretty if you- if you get really hurt. If you die. SS

**You:** I know - DH

**You:** I know, and I know I'm selfish - DH

**You:** But you'll live - DH

**Stranger:** Do you? Do you actually? Because I know me, Derek. I'm pretty sure I'd go Dark!Willow. And it would last until whatever got you was completely. Gone. From this world. SS

**Stranger:** It or me. Whichever one happens first. SS

**You:** [delay] It took me seven months after the fire before I decided I was going to keep living - DH

**Stranger:** ...Derek. SS

**You:** I didn't...try anything, but. - DH

**You:** After Laura, you and Scott got me so caught up in your mess, in what was happening, you forced me to live - DH

**You:** Maybe someday I'll be able to imagine outliving you - DH

**Stranger:** Jesus. Derek. SS

**You:** I'm sorry - DH

**Stranger:** Jesus, no. No. You don't have to be sorry. SS

**You:** I know it's not what you want to hear - DH

**You:** You want to hear that I'm stable, that I'm capable of looking after myself, that I'm not /utterly/ fucked up - DH

**Stranger:** Shut up. Listen to me, okay? You're not fucked up. You're not- I love you. You, just, always you. SS

**You:** I love you too - DH

**Stranger:** I just... want you to understand you're not the only one who couldn't handle it if something happened. Who wants to keep the other safe. SS

**You:** I'm trying - DH

**Stranger:** Whatever happens. We can handle it- together, okay? SS

**Stranger:** But it has to be together. SS

**You:** What do you mean? - DH

**Stranger:** I mean whatever new baddie we face, whatever happens, if we can- we're stronger together than apart. Stronger with the other, the pack, than on our own. SS

**You:** Taking risks with you scares me - DH

**Stranger:** Hey, it's okay. I'm tougher than I look. SS

**You:** I know that much - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. So have a little faith. I'm not about to leave you, not if I can help it. I'll fight it every bit of the way. SS

**You:** I know - DH

**You:** But you don't always get to choose - DH

**Stranger:** I'm making my choice now. I'm with you. SS

**You:** I haven't stopped you - DH

**You:** I - I thought about it - DH

**Stranger:** ...what? SS

**You:** I could have kept you away from the fights - DH

**You:** I could have found a way - DH

**Stranger:** Oh, Derek. Derek, no, you couldn't have. SS

**You:** I could have lied, or hidden things, or locked you up, or made someone watch you, or just gone out on my own - DH

**Stranger:** And I would have found my way out each and every time. You have your tells, Hale, and I know them. I'd have found a way. SS

**You:** I just mean...I didn't try - DH

**You:** I could have tried - DH

**Stranger:** ...thank you for not trying. SS

**You:** Having you there when there's violence, it terrifies me, but I won't stop you - DH

**Stranger:** ...thank you. If it helps, I try to be careful? When I can be. SS

**You:** I'm sorry I'm such a mess - DH

**Stranger:** You're great, you shut up. Don't talk bad about my boo. SS

 

 

 

 


	40. Derek is adorable with babies

 

 

**Stranger:** Hey, why didn't you tell me your friend Derek was volunteering at the hospital? -MM

**You:** He is? - SS

**Stranger:** You didn't know? I just spotted him holding one of the neonates in the NICU. -MM

**You:** That is adorable - SS

**Stranger:** Kind of is. He seems to really like it. Didn't even notice me waving. -MM

**You:** /That's/ weird. Derek's ridiculously aware of his surroundings - SS

**Stranger:** He was just...looking at that little baby with that look in his eyes. I know that look. That boy wants to be a dad. -MM

**You:** [delay] Okay, awesome, Derek has latent parental instincts, good to know - SS

**Stranger:** Very sweet. I knew I liked him. The NICU nurses are all /very/ fond of him, you might want to keep an eye on that. -MM

**You:** Right - SS

**Stranger:** Or am I not supposed to know about your thing? -MM

**You:** There's no thing! - SS

**Stranger:** Right, right. Of course not. -MM

**You:** Right. - SS

**Stranger:** Well, just for the record, he wasn't responding to any of the nurses flirting with him. -MM

**You:** Okay - SS

**Stranger:** In case you were worried. -MM

**You:** You're barking up the wrong tree here - SS

**Stranger:** Mmhmm. -MM

**You:** Have a good day, Melissa - SS

**Stranger:** You too, Stiles. I'll tell Derek hello for you. -MM

\-----

**You:** [to Derek] So you've been spotted ogling babies - SS

**Stranger:** Jesus. I wondered how long before Melissa told you. -DH

**You:** Not long - SS

**You:** Apparently you're the darling of the nurses - SS

**Stranger:** I am not the darling of anyone. -DH

**You:** Melissa thinks so - SS

**Stranger:** I just hold the babies. -DH

**You:** And they ogle you - SS

**Stranger:** That's not why I go there. The babies need physical contact. -DH

**You:** That's adorable - SS

**Stranger:** ....I'm not adorable. -DH

**You:** You really are - SS

**Stranger:** They just need help, that's all. They're...small. -DH

**You:** I'm not saying you shouldn't be doing it - SS

**You:** I think it's great - SS

**You:** It's just really cute, too - SS

**Stranger:** ...thank you. I think. -DH

**You:** You're welcome - SS

**You:** I didn't realise you liked babies - SS

**Stranger:** Who doesn't like babies? -DH

**You:** They're kind of screamy and gross, dude - SS

**Stranger:** They're small and soft and precious. -DH

**Stranger:** You don't like them? -DH

**You:** I like kids better the older they get. I mean, they're less cute, but easier to deal with - SS

**Stranger:** I like children, too. But babies...I just really like babies. -DH

**You:** The more you know - SS

**Stranger:** [delayed] I had a baby sister. -DH

**You:** Like, a /younger/ sister? Or an actual baby? - SS

**Stranger:** She was two. Barely not a baby any more. -dH

**You:** Oh, Derek - SS

**You:** Jesus, every time I think you've run out of sad stories you tell me another one - SS

**You:** Hanging out with the babies is helping? - SS

**Stranger:** Sorry... -DH

**Stranger:** It helps. And it makes me feel...useful. -DH

**You:** Don't apologize, I like it when you tell me things - SS

**Stranger:** You do? -DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**You:** I like it that you trust me with stuff - SS

**Stranger:** Of course I trust you. -DH

**You:** I like the reminder, then - SS

**Stranger:** Well...I trust you with my life, Stiles. You're...probably the person I trust most in the world, now. -DH

**You:** ...I'm honoured - SS

**Stranger:** Is that sarcasm? -DH

**You:** No - SS

**You:** I really am - SS

**Stranger:** IT's not that big a deal...it's just me. -DH

**You:** Yeah, but it's not like you trust easy - SS

**Stranger:** You've given me reason. -DH

**You:** Well...thanks anyway - SS

**Stranger:** No problem, Stiles. -DH

**Stranger:** Why did you text me? Just to ask about the hospital? -DH

**You:** Pretty much - SS

**You:** Oh, and to let you know, Melissa's reached 'nudge-nudge, wink-wink, say-no-more' status about you and me - SS

**Stranger:** But you knew the answer. -DH  
...I don't know what that means. -DH

**You:** How. How have you never seen that skit. - SS

**You:** It means that she's decided we're together, and is metaphorically waggling her eyebrows at me about it - SS

**Stranger:** ...oh. -DH

**Stranger:** Why would she think we're together? -DH

**You:** You'd have to ask her - SS

**You:** She doesn't mind, though - SS

**Stranger:** I...like Melissa. So that's a relief. -DH

**Stranger:** Do you? -H

**You:** Like Melissa? - SS

**You:** She's - look, we don't talk about it, but she's practically my step-mom - SS

**Stranger:** What, no. I meant do you mind. That she thinks we're together. -DH  
And I know. I'm aware. I can...smell that, unfortunately. -DH

**You:** Oh, ew - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. We won't get into it. Anyway. Do you mind? -DH

**You:** Not really? - SS

**You:** I mean, it's kind of flattering - SS

**You:** And it's not like it's gonna harm my prospects any - SS

**Stranger:** What does that mean? -DH

**You:** It means I'm not planning on trying to date any of Melissa's friends, so it doesn't matter if she thinks I'm taken? - SS

**Stranger:** Oh. Right, of course... -DH

**You:** I mean, obviously you /wouldn't/ date me, but if it doesn't bother you, it's all cool. - SS

**Stranger:** Why do you say that? -DH

**You:** Because it's true? - SS

**Stranger:** Why wouldn't I date you? You're...dateable. -DH

**You:** I'm dateable. Seriously. - SS

**Stranger:** You are. -DH

**You:** You would actually date me? - SS

**Stranger:** Well, if you were interested. You're bright, you're smart, funny, kind, beautiful....why not? -DH

**You:** [delay] I don't know how you've managed to miss that I'm interested all this time, but seriously, take me on a date - SS

**Stranger:** I...really? -DH

**Stranger:** Alright. -DH

**You:** Really - SS

**Stranger:** Dinner? I can pick you up at six. -DH

**You:** That would be amazing - SS 


	41. Not Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ace!Derek

**You:**  Stiles, I'm sorry, but the answer is still no - DH

**Stranger:** ... Right. Please, just... Give me a reason. -SS

**You:** I just...I need a little longer to get used to the idea - DH

**Stranger:** Used to it? Is there something about me that you don't like? -SS

**Stranger:** I'm only asking because it's starting to... I can't stop thinking that maybe there's something wrong with me. -SS

**You:** No! - DH

**You:** No, it's not you - DH

**You:** You're perfect - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Okay, good. -SS

**Stranger:** Are you asexual? -SS

**Stranger:** Or...? -SS

**You:** You've heard of that? - DH

**Stranger:** Well yeah. -SS

**Stranger:** It's kind of... You know, I'm on the internet a lot. -SS

**You:** Oh - DH

**You:** I...yeah - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. That's okay. -SS

**You:** It is? - DH

**You:** I should have told you sooner, I know - DH

**Stranger:** No, it's okay... I mean... I'm relieved. That there's a reason you didn't want to. -SS

**Stranger:** Not that you ever need a reason. -SS

**Stranger:** But um... It's still a relief. -SS

**You:** I'm sorry - Dh

**You:** I just...I didn't have to think about it until your birthday - DH

**You:** Not really - DH

**Stranger:** So do you not want to ever have sex? -SS  
Or...? I mean, I'm okay with whatever, so be honest with me, please. -SS

**You:** Isn't that unfair to you? - DH

**You:** I can do it, really - DH

**Stranger:** I'd feel like shit if we had sex when you didn't want to. Please don't do it for me. -SS

**You:** But you want sex. I can tell that you do - DH

**Stranger:** Stop it. -SS

**Stranger:** Please. -SS

**You:** I'm sorry, I just don't understand - DH

**Stranger:** What don't you understand? I don't want to have sex if it's not what you want, or if you're only doing it because of me. -SS

**You:** But I want to give you what you want - DH

**You:** It's not like it hurts me - DH

**Stranger:** Well it'd hurt me. -SS

**Stranger:** Derek... I can live with my hand, and kisses and cuddles. That's fine, that's enough for me. -SS

**Stranger:** I don't need sex, okay? And... I don't want to have sex with you if you won't want sex. -SS

**You:** Are you sure? - DH

**Stranger:** For now. And I'd talk to you if I stopped being sure. -SS

**You:** Promise me you will - DH

**Stranger:** I promise. As long as you promise to talk to me too. -SS  
And tell me what you want. -SS

**You:** I will - DH

**You:** I'm sorry - DH

**Stranger:** Don't apologise. -SS

**You:** I want to be able to be enough for you - DH

**Stranger:** You are, that's literally what I just said. -SS

**You:** Sorry. I should have told you sooner, but I - I love you, and I didn't want to lose you because I'm...not normal - DH

**Stranger:** You're normal. -SS

**Stranger:** As normal as I am, anyway. -SS

**You:** But I'm... - DH

**Stranger:** A werewolf. -SS

**Stranger:** Just as normal as me. -SS

**Stranger:** I'm implying that neither of us are notmal. -SS

**Stranger:** normal*

**You:** Don't you want a boyfriend who /wants/ you? - DH

**You:** The only time I ever wanted anyone was when Jennifer had me - DH

**Stranger:** You do want me. -SS  
In every way that matters. -SS  
That's more than I've had before. -SS

**You:** There are people who want you properly - DH

**Stranger:** Stop it. -SS  
Derek, you do want me properly. -SS  
Okay? -SS

**You:** But I can't - DH

**You:** I can pretend, but I can't really do it - DH

**Stranger:** You're upsetting me. -SS

**You:** Why? - DH

**You:** What am I doing wrong? - DH

**Stranger:** You're trying to convince me not to love you. -SS

**Stranger:** And it's not working, it's just upsetting me. -SS

**Stranger:** because you're fucking perfect, okay? -SS

**You:** I'm broken - DH

**Stranger:** shut up. _SS

**Stranger:** Are not. -SS

**You:** I AM. Even if you think me being...asexual is okay, I'm so fucked up, Stiles - DH

**Stranger:** STOP IT -SS

**Stranger:** I don't care. -SS

**Stranger:** I don't care how screwed up you think you are, you're perfect to me. -SS

**Stranger:** And I love you, so stop pushing me away. -SS

**You:** I don't understand why you love me - DH

**Stranger:** Because you're kind, and you make me feel safe, and you make me laugh, and you have a nice smile. And you're really good at hugging, and cuddling, and you know how to calm me down, and you're beautiful, like, aesthetically speaking, and... I just love you. -SS

**You:** [delay] I love you, Stiles - DH

**You:** I'm so grateful for you - DH

**Stranger:** Please don't push me away, I need you. -SS

**You:** Why do you need /me/? - DH

**Stranger:** I'm a mess. -SS

**Stranger:** Just as fucked up as you. -SS

**Stranger:** You make it all easier. -SS

**You:** I want to. I want to make everything easy and good for you - DH

**Stranger:** Come over. -SS

**You:** Okay - DH

\-----

 

 

**Stranger:** Stiles sighed softly, and flopped back onto his bed, calming himself down. He hated it when Derek talked about himself like that. It really got to Stiles. He took a deep breath, and shut his eyes as he waited for Derek to come over. He really, really needed a hug. when it felt like he'd been waiting for ages, he rolled out of bed, and started pacing around.

**You:** When Derek got to Stiles' house, he could hear his boyfriend pacing, which he only did when something was really bothering him. Maybe Derek should have put it off longer. Or just gone with what Stiles wanted, he could do that. He loved Stiles - he'd do anything for him. He climbed up to Stiles' window and knocked quietly.

**Stranger:** Stiles jumped when there was finally a knock on his window, and he sighed softly, hurrying to open up the window and drag his boyfriend inside. "Oh thank god. I thought you'd never get here," he whispered, and he hugged Derek tightly, nuzzling at his neck and sighing in relief.

**You:** Derek held Stiles close, frowning at the scent of anxiety and unhappiness permeating the room. Derek had made Stiles feel that way. "I'm sorry," he muttered. It seemed like he was doing everything wrong today.

**Stranger:** "Don't. Stop it, stop apologising, you have nothing to be sorry for. I just really need a cuddle from my favourite person," he murmured, and he tucked his head in, taking a few deep breaths. "I love you so much."

**You:** Derek's chest warmed at Stiles' words, even if part of him still doubted. "I love you too," he murmured, stroking Stiles' back and swaying slightly. "I'm here."

**Stranger:** Stiles hummed softly, and leaned into the swaying, calming down almost immediately and relaxing. "Yes you are. You're here. I love having you here."

**You:** "I'll always be here," Derek promised softly. He meant it, too. He couldn't imagine not loving Stiles, not wanting to be there whenever Stiles wanted him.


	42. Bubble Wrap for a Baby Bump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mpreg

 

 

**Stranger:** Derek, I know you told not to bother you while you're out of town, but I have a question. -SS

**You:** What is it? - DH

**Stranger:** Hypothetically speaking, of course, what would you do if I told you I was pregnant?-SS

**You:** [long delay] I'm coming home right now - DH

**Stranger:** Derek, no! This alpha convention is important. -SS

**You:** You're more important - DH

**You:** Especially if you're fucking pregnant! - DH

**Stranger:** Not starting a turf war is important. -SS

**You:** No-one's going to think less of us for me needing to get home to a pregnant mate - DH

**Stranger:** I'm not even at the fun point!-SS

**You:** So you are, then. You're sure - DH

**Stranger:** Deaton confirmed it earlier. -SS

**You:** Why didn't you tell me you were going to talk to him? - DH

**Stranger:** I didn't want you to worry. -SS

**You:** What? - DH

**Stranger:** You freak when I mention I'm going to the doctor under normal circumstances. -SS

**You:** I do not - DH

**Stranger:** Remember when I had the flu?-SS

**You:** ...yeah, okay - DH

**Stranger:** If I told you I thought I might be pregnant. You would have left immediately. -SS

**You:** Of course - DH

**Stranger:** And what if I was wrong?-SS

**You:** Then you'd be sick or something instead, wouldn't you? I'd still want to be there - DH

**Stranger:** It wouldn't have been a big deal if I'd been sick. I didn't feel like I was dying...just a bit off. -SS

**You:** I always want to be there to look after you - DH

**Stranger:** I have the pack. I can handle being sick without you for a couple days. -SS

**Stranger:** Just like I can be pregnant for a couple of days without you. -SS

**You:** I want to be there - DH

**Stranger:** I want you to stay and make alliances. I'll send you the ultrasound. It's about the size of a Limabean but you can show it off and gain sympathy and such. Talk about your good news. -SS

**You:** How can I stay when you say things like that? - DH

**Stranger:** Because you want to make sure that your child is raised in a pack that has strong alliances we can call on in times of trouble. People who will remember seeing the first ultrasound picture of this Limabean and think they are obligated to help keep it safe. -SS

**You:** [delay] Why do you have to make so much sense? - DH

**Stranger:** It's why you took me as your mate.-SS

**You:** You're my mate because I love you - DH

**Stranger:** I love you too. -SS

**You:** I'll leave early, but I'll stay until the major talks are over - DH

**Stranger:** Fine, I know you didn't want to go to the parties anyway. -SS

**You:** I really, really didn't - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Text me when you're on your way home. -SS

**You:** Will do. Be safe, please - DH

**Stranger:** I'm always safe. -SS

**You:** Stiles. - DH

**Stranger:** I promise. I'll wrap myself in bubble wrap till you get home. -SS

**You:** Just make sure you're okay - DH

**Stranger:** I'll be fine, babe. -S

**You:** I love you - DH

**Stranger:** I love you more.-SS

**You:** I love you even more than that - DH

**You:** And the baby - DH

**Stranger:** [1 image attached: a photo of the ultrasound.-SS

**You:** [delay] Thank you, Stiles. So much - DH

**Stranger:** No need to thank me. -SS

**You:** I will anyway - DH

**Stranger:** I mean you helped! -SS

**You:** You're doing the hard part - DH

**Stranger:** I'm going to show you these texts when I'm eight months pregnant and demanding lukewarm ice cream and fried pickles. At two am. -SS

**You:** [delay] God, Stiles. I love you so much - DH

**Stranger:** I love you too, but where did this suddenly declaration come from? -SS

**You:** Just imagining you eight months pregnant with our child - DH

**Stranger:** You won't have to imagine soon enough. -SS

**You:** You're wonderful - DH

**Stranger:** I'm glad that I've tricked you into thinking that. -SS

**You:** Stop it. You're wonderful - DH

**Stranger:** I am not. I'm just lucky to have someone who thinks so. -SS

**You:** And someday soon, you'll have a baby that thinks so - DH

**Stranger:** Not for the first eighteen years of its life. I'm carrying it. Which means it's going to automatically hate me when it goes through its angsty teen years. -SS

**Stranger:** You get to be cool dad. -SS

**You:** Stiles, I don't think anyone in this universe would picture me as 'the cool dad' - DH

**Stranger:** You're totally going to be cool dad. I know you're secretly a softie, so you're going to cave and give the kid everything it wants. I'm going to have to be the one to say no. -SS

**You:** You think you're going to be any good at saying no either? - DH

**Stranger:** Not at first. That baby is going to be so spoiled. -SS

**You:** It's not possible to love a baby too much - DH

**Stranger:** That I have to agree with you on. -SS

**You:** [delay] How far along are you? - DH

**Stranger:** Deaton says about seven weeks. -SS

**You:** [delay] Ah. /That/ time - DH

**Stranger:** It was a very /very/ good night. -SS

**You:** How long until we can tell the gender? - DH

**Stranger:** Usually 18 weeks. Deaton says because the baby is most likely going to be a werewolf, we might be able to tell at 15. -SS

**You:** It makes a difference? - DH

**Stranger:** He says that werewolves develop faster in the first couple of weeks. A werewolf baby could probably be able to survive being born prematurely at about 3 month, where as a human infant would need to be at least six months for a chance of survival. -SS

**You:** Then for the next five weeks you'd better be more careful than you've ever been in your life - DH

**Stranger:** I was think of going cliff diving with Scott. -SS

**You:** You're a dick sometimes, you know that? - DH

**Stranger:** You love me for being a dick. -SS

**You:** Loving your dick and loving when you /are/ a dick are different things - DH

**Stranger:** True. But it doesn't mean you don't love me even though I'm a dick. -SS

**You:** I have terrible taste, apparently - DH

**Stranger:** I told you that! But you wouldn't believe me. -SS

**You:** I was blinded by adoration for the bearer of my child - DH

 

 


	43. How do you relationship?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a/b/o, hs!au, omega derek, popular stiles

 

 

**Stranger:** Hello. This is Derek Hale. I know you don’t know me very well. But I’ve made a mistake, and I want to apologise to you before you hear it from someone else and get mad at me. - DH 

**You:** What's going on? - SS

**You:** Also, how did you get my number? - SS

**Stranger:** Erica gave it to me. She seems to have everyone's number. - DH

**You:** Makes sense - SS

**Stranger:** This is more to get in front of the situation. Some people have been asking me if it's true that you're interested in me. And I haven't really responded to their questions. - DH

**Stranger:** Erica pointed out that I was just helping the rumour along that way. So from now on I'll deny it. I just wanted to make clear I wasn't using you to get attention. I have no idea where this came from. - DH

**You:** Oh - SS

**You:** Well, uh, first of all, thanks for being thoughtful about it? - SS

**You:** And letting me know - SS

**Stranger:** I've heard you tell Scott that it happens to you and you hate it. So it's not a problem. - DH

**You:** Oh, hey, it's fine - SS

**You:** Really not your fault - SS

**You:** Actually my fault, really - SS

**Stranger:** Blaming yourself for other people's ineptitude is pointless. - DH

**You:** Yeah, but blaming myself for waxing lyrical about your butt when I was drunk one time is kinda legit, so... - SS

**Stranger:** What? - DH

**Stranger:** When. Why? - DH

**You:** ...because I like your butt? - SS

**You:** It's very pretty - SS

**You:** I mean, all of you is very pretty - SS

**You:** Christ I'm awkward - SS

**Stranger:** So you did this in public?? - DH

**You:** Group of friends, some of whom are gossips - SS

**You:** My bad - SS

**You:** I'm sorry people have been bothering you - SS

**Stranger:** They haven't. I've either been getting questions. Or people telling me to stay away because you're their boyfriend. Apparently you're dating about 6 people. - DH

**Stranger:** What should I say from now on? - DH

**You:** I guess that depends - SS

**Stranger:** On what? - DH

**You:** On whether you're interested in me - SS

**Stranger:** I don't know. - DH

**You:** [brief delay] Okay - SS

**You:** I mean, if you weren't, you could just tell people you didn't care if I am - SS

**Stranger:** I thought you'd be mad at me. I wasn't expecting this conversation. I'm not sure how to react right now. - DH

**You:** That's...fair - SS

**You:** Even if I don't know why I'd be mad - SS

**Stranger:** I assumed you'd think I did this for attention. I don't particularly like attention but I wasn't sure if you knew that. - DH

**You:** No, I mean, I can see that. You've never been interested in the opinions of people outside your group - SS

**Stranger:** You mean Erica, Isaac and Boyd. - DH

**Stranger:** I suppose. - DH

**You:** Not that that's a bad thing! - SS

**You:** Honestly, it would be kind of nice to be a little less dependent on public approval - SS

**Stranger:** You care that much? - DH

**You:** It's kind of a...thing - SS

**You:** Um, a lot of people with ADHD are really sensitive to the judgement of others? - SS

**You:** It kind of sucks - SS

**Stranger:** Oh. - DH

**Stranger:** So this is pretty horrible for you then. - DH

**You:** What is? - SS

**Stranger:** People talking about your thing for... me. - DH

**You:** It's not like they're saying I'm a faker or a blabbermouth or something. They're just saying I like a hot guy - SS

**Stranger:** No they're saying you like me. - DH

**You:** You're hot - SS

**Stranger:** Are you sure you're not talking about Derek McCormick? - DH

**You:** /Yes/, I'm sure - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. - DH

**Stranger:** It's not like you're not handsome. I'm just a little caught off guard at the moment. - DH

**You:** That's fine - SS

**Stranger:** It's weird because I used to have a crush on you. - DH

**You:** You did? - SS

**Stranger:** Uh yeah. - DH

**Stranger:** Can't believe I'm actually saying this to you. But yeah. - DH

**Stranger:** When I first moved here. In 7th grade. - DH

**You:** Oh - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah and then in 8th grade. And then in 9th grade. And then I moved on. - DH

**You:** Oh. Okay - SS

**Stranger:** Sorry. I don't know why I told you. - DH

**You:** It's fine - SS

**You:** I mean, I guess it's nice to know? - SS

**Stranger:** It just didn't really seem like you knew I existed. So it made sense. - DH

**Stranger:** And then you got really popular in high school and pretty much everyone wanted to date you. - DH

**Stranger:** So it seemed like it was a pipe dream or something. - DH

**You:** Sorry - SS

**Stranger:** For what? - DH

**You:** That you had to deal with unrequitedness for that long, idk - SS

**Stranger:** I see. That's..sweet? I have no idea. - DH

**You:** I don't feel like either of us know what to do with this conversation - SS

**Stranger:** Right. Yeah. So I'll....think about it? - DH

**Stranger:** Do I assume you want to date or something more traditional? - DH

**You:** Um. Dating is fine for now - SS

**You:** I mean, if /you/ want to consider this an offer of courtship, I guess we can do that - SS

**Stranger:** I can't just consider it that if you're not offering. - DH

**Stranger:** Let's just forget I said that. You didn't even ask me out. - DH

**Stranger:** I'll just think about...this. I guess. - DH

**You:** Hey, no, wait - SS

**You:** Consent's super important to me, so I like to ask first? But seriously, when you've thought about it, let me know what sort of question you want to hear - SS

**You:** Or no question - SS

**Stranger:** You know of my family. - DH

**Stranger:** I'm not as traditional as them. But for me to just assume your expectations with me isn't something I'm comfortable with doing. - DH

**You:** Sorry - SS

**You:** I'm willing to ask you on a date, or to offer courtship, or to let it go. I'd /prefer/ to do whichever one of those three would make you happiest - SS

**You:** Is that better? - SS

**Stranger:** What would make me happiest? - DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**Stranger:** I see. - DH

**Stranger:** You know I've been courted before? - DH

**You:** I didn't, no - SS

**Stranger:** They've given me gifts. Asked me out on expensive dates. And a lot of other stuff. No one's ever bothered to ask what would make me happy. - DH

**Stranger:** I'd say you're doing very well too. - DH

**You:** Oh - SS

**You:** That's good to know. I really don't know what I'm doing - SS

**Stranger:** You've always been nice. - DH

**You:** Yeah, but that's kind of the bare minimum, you know? - SS

**You:** I don't want to coast on being a 'nice guy' - SS

**Stranger:** It's really not. But I get what you're saying. - DH

**Stranger:** I don't want to coast on being an Omega. - DH

**You:** You're so much more than that, though - SS

**Stranger:** I don't really do much else. I'm not part of any teams, any clubs, I don't do much after school either. Other than volunteer at the community centre or at the animal shelter. - DH

**Stranger:** I'm pretty dull. - DH

**You:** No, you're not - SS

**You:** Just because you don't get out there all that much socially doesn't mean you're boring - SS

**You:** And volunteering is totally a thing, an awesome thing - SS

**Stranger:** Would you come with me? - DH

**You:** Sure - SS

**You:** Hopefully I won't get in the way or anything... - SS

**Stranger:** You would be helping, how would you get in the way? - DH

**You:** I can be clumsy. And distractable - SS

**Stranger:** You can be focused when you want too. Otherwise you wouldn't be doing so well on the team. - DH

**You:** Thanks - SS

**Stranger:** I'm going to keep from telling my parents for now. - DH

**You:** ...I appreciate that, honestly. They're very intimidating - SS

**Stranger:** I have to go help with dinner but I'll text you. Soon. - DH

**You:** Okay. Talk to you soon - SS

**Stranger:** [Delayed] So Erica yelled at me. - DH

**You:** Why? - SS

**Stranger:** She said I should tell you why I stopped liking you. The real reason. - DH

**You:** Oh - SS

**Stranger:** I tried to ask you out? - DH

**You:** ...you did? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. You got really mad at me. - DH

**Stranger:** You thought I was implying you were stupid or something? I don't know. - DH

**Stranger:** I asked if you wanted to study together. And I think you thought I was offering to tutor you? - DH

**Stranger:** You got mad and then I didn't really think I should talk to you anymore. - DH

**You:** Ohhhh. Oh shit. I remember that now - SS

**You:** First off, I'm sorry for yelling - SS

**You:** Secondly, you're right, I /absolutely/ didn't realise you meant as a date - SS

**You:** Also, and I know this doesn't excuse anything, I was having a /really/ bad week - SS

**Stranger:** What was happening? - DH

**You:** That was about when it started really hitting me how much worse things were going to suck with my ADHD academically in high school - SS

**You:** I'd failed a few things because I couldn't keep to the topic - SS

**Stranger:** Oh. And then I asked you if you wanted to study. - DH

**Stranger:** I didn't really know how else to ask you out. - DH

**You:** It's okay, it's really not your fault - SS

**You:** But yeah, that's why I yelled - SS

**Stranger:** So. that's what that was. - DH

**You:** It wasn't about you at /all/, I promise - SS

**You:** I was anxious and upset and you accidentally stepped on it - SS

**Stranger:** I basically made it seem like I was kicking you when you were down. - DH

**Stranger:** I should have registered your mood. I guess I was too nervous to notice. I'm sorry. - DH

**You:** It's okay - SS

**You:** I can be hard to pick? - SS

**You:** For a bunch of reasons - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. You're telling me. My brain is stupid around you. - DH

**You:** What do you mean? - SS

**Stranger:** It's embarrassing. But I mostly just focus on your scent. And you always smell good. And then I don't really know what to say to you. I feel stupid. And it's frustrating because it's so cliche. I'm not used to being cliched. - DH

**You:** Wow - SS

**You:** That's really flattering - SS

**Stranger:** You're being nice again. It's pathetic. - DH

**Stranger:** I'm capable of making intelligent conversation. And then my wolf turns into a pup when you're around. - DH

**You:** It's actually kind of cute? - SS

**You:** I mean, I've been known to be struck down by awkwardness at the sight of a pretty butt - SS

**Stranger:** Stop it. You haven't. - DH

**You:** I totally have - SS

**Stranger:** I've been around you plenty of times. - DH

**You:** And you haven't noticed me being awkward? - SS

**Stranger:** No? - DH

**Stranger:** You're always confident. - DH

**You:** Well, that's a fake - SS

**You:** Very well practiced, admittedly - SS

**Stranger:** So I make you nervous? - DH

**You:** Absolutely - SS

**You:** [brb - gotta eat food]

**Stranger:** Alright. - DH

**Stranger:** So. I'm not going to lie. I still like you. - DH

**Stranger:** The minute you said it I was excited. - DH

**You:** Really? - SS

**Stranger:** You want to go out with me. - DH

**Stranger:** So yes. - DH

**You:** Do you want me to ask you out, or offer courtship? - SS

**You:** Just so we're clear - SS

**Stranger:** Neither. - DH

**Stranger:** I'll have to tell my parents if you do and it'll be a big thing. - DH

**Stranger:** I'm going to the community centre tomorrow after school. You could come with me? - DH

**You:** I'd love to - SS

**You:** So, officially, we're just hanging out? - SS

**Stranger:** Getting to know each other. - DH

**You:** That sounds really great - SS

**Stranger:** Can I sign you up to do story time? - DH

**You:** Um...I guess? I mean, I probably won't be terrible at it, so... - SS

**Stranger:** You'll be good at it I think. You seem like the kind of person who would do different voices. - DH

**You:** I can do voices - SS

**You:** Any other tips? - SS

**Stranger:** Be patient. Some of the kids have ADHD and stuff too. So if it seems like they're not paying attention, just try and wait to see if you can get them to listen. Or they might be paying attention anyway. - DH

**You:** Okay - SS

**You:** What will you be doing? - SS

**Stranger:** Helping some of the older kids with homework and stuff. - DH

**You:** I bet you're really good at that - SS

**Stranger:** We do different things. I like working with the little kids the best, but I'm good with homework. - DH

**Stranger:** So you'll come with me then. - DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**Stranger:** I'll wait for you in the parking lot then. - DH

**You:** Cool - SS

**You:** I'm looking forward to it - SS

**Stranger:** Maybe we could get something to eat after. - DH

**You:** That would be nice. Do you like diner food? - SS

**Stranger:** Milkshakes and burgers. - DH

**You:** Awesome - SS

**You:** Let's do that, then - SS

**Stranger:** I can't believe I'm going out with Stiles Stilinski. - DH

**You:** Well, I can't believe I'm going out with Derek Hale - SS

**Stranger:** We can never tell anyone we said that to each other. Especially Erica. - DH

**You:** No, we'll just save it in our text history for the rest of ever - SS

**Stranger:** God no. Leave no evidence. - DH

**You:** Excuse /you/ - SS

**You:** I'm keeping our last couple of conversations until I'm eating ice cream and crying over our breakup - SS

**Stranger:** What? - DH

**Stranger:** Why would we breakup? - DH

**You:** It was a hypothetical, Derek - SS

**You:** Hopefully we won't - SS

**Stranger:** We won't. - DH

**You:** Okay - SS

**Stranger:** We won't. I just know it. Somehow. - DH

**You:** Then I'll keep these to be sappy over at our anniversaries - SS

**Stranger:** We'll make less embarrassing memories for you to think about. - DH

**Stranger:** Ones that don't involve me telling you that you make me stupid. - DH

**You:** I still think that's cute - SS

**You:** I mean, I totally want you for your brain as much as your butt, but it's still super flattering - SS

**Stranger:** Clearly now I should be buying better jeans. To keep you interested. - DH

**You:** I am /not/ going to object to that - SS

**Stranger:** Erica is always offering. Now is a good option. - DH

**You:** You're serious? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. Why not? - DH

**You:** Um. For the record. The idea of you buying clothes specifically to appeal to me is really...good - SS

**Stranger:** Of course it does. You're such a typical Alpha. - DH

**You:** Is that a good thing or a bad thing? - SS

**Stranger:** Usually bad, but with you, it's good. - DH

**You:** You've gotta tell me if it ends up being bad at all - SS

**Stranger:** I will. You'll always know that. - DH

**You:** Okay. Good - SS

**Stranger:** I'm not good with just going along with things I don't want to do. - DH

**You:** Awesome - SS

**Stranger:** Does your dad know? - DH

**You:** I thought we weren't telling parents? - SS

**Stranger:** Your dad's a cop. He seems intuitive. - DH

**You:** Is that you telling me that I'm not gonna be able to hide anything, so I should give up now? - SS

**Stranger:** Sort of. - DH

**Stranger:** Also so that you can tell him not to mention it to my mother. Or my sister, his deputy. - DH

**You:** Ah - SS

**You:** Yeah, that's fair - SS

**You:** I will do that - SS

**Stranger:** Thank you. - DH

**Stranger:** I just don't want them to destroy this before it even starts. - DH

**You:** You think they would? - SS

**Stranger:** They would call you to dinner, ask you a lot of questions. Ask you what you plan to do in the future, how you'd support me. And those aren't questions you need to answer to go out on a date with some guy. - DH

**You:** Honestly, they're kind of questions I /can't/ answer - SS

**You:** I don't know what I'll do after school, or after college - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. Neither do I. - DH

**Stranger:** Just because there are older men trying to be my Alpha doesn't mean you need to be held to the same standard. - DH

**You:** Also, I don't know how you feel about this, but...I'm generally in favor of equal labor? - SS

**Stranger:** By which you mean, you want me to work? - DH

**You:** I mean, if you really didn't want to... - SS

**You:** But there's such a thing as a partnership between two people who can stand on their own, you know - SS

**You:** And I don't like the idea of your options being /restricted/ - SS

**Stranger:** I want to work. I just don't know what I want to do. - DH

**You:** Same here - SS

**Stranger:** It's weird. I've thought about opening up a business. But again, I'm not sure what. - DH

**Stranger:** Maybe I'll take some classes at the community college. - DH

**You:** That sounds really cool - SS

**Stranger:** What about you? - DH

**You:** I mean, part of me wants to go into police work like my dad

**Stranger:** But you're not sure? - DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**Stranger:** What is the other option? - DH

**You:** Kind of just going to college and hoping I figure it out there - SS

**Stranger:** Have you been accepted anywhere? - DH

**You:** A couple of places - SS

**You:** I'm waiting to hear back from some others - SS

**Stranger:** All out of state? - DH

**You:** There's Berkeley - SS

**You:** But otherwise, yeah - SS

**Stranger:** Let's not think about that right now. - DH

**You:** Yeah, definitely - SS

**Stranger:** So. Tomorrow. You have practice? - DH

**You:** Yeah - SS

**You:** Is that gonna mess with your schedule? - DH

**Stranger:** No. I just thought I could sit at the bleachers or something. If that was okay. - DH

**You:** I'd really like that - SS

**Stranger:** Alright. I'll wait around. See if you're any good. - DH

**You:** Jesus, I'm going to end up showing off ridiculously - SS

**Stranger:** Oh yeah? Like what? Add some flips into the routine? - DH

**You:** I'd just fall on my ass and look dumb - SS

**You:** Is there anything like this that /you/ like? - SS

**Stranger:** Anything like what exactly? - DH

**You:** You know - SS

**You:** Like with the jeans thing, or watching me play - SS

**Stranger:** Your face. - DH

**You:** :) - SS

**You:** I meant something I could /do/ - SS

**Stranger:** Well. You could drive us. - DH

**You:** Yeah? - SS

**You:** Your car is way cooler than mine, but I'd totally drive if you wanted - SS

**Stranger:** It's my sisters. - DH

**You:** It's still awesome - SS

**You:** Anyway, yeah. I'll drive if you like - SS

**Stranger:** But actually it's just because I've thought a lot about doing stuff in your car. - DH

**You:** Ohhhh - SS

**You:** So it's a my car thing, not a me driving thing - SS

**Stranger:** It's a...I've thought about you picking me up and kissing me in your car thing. - DH

**You:** [delay] Okay. Cool - SS

**Stranger:** Too far? - DH

**You:** No, it's - it's good - SS

**You:** Just reminding myself it's more than I'll get for a little while - SS

**Stranger:** More than what? - DH

**You:** I mean, I guess I assumed we were taking it slow - SS

**Stranger:** Slow is good I guess. - DH

**You:** So, yeah, no kissing in the car yet - SS

**Stranger:** Kissing is slow. That's still taking it slow. - DH

**You:** So it's yes to kissing? - SS

**You:** What else is a yes? - SS

**Stranger:** You can touch me. - DH

**You:** Like, over the clothes? - SS

**Stranger:** Yes? - DH

**You:** Okay - SS

**You:** I'd like that a lot - SS

**Stranger:** To be honest, I want a lot more. - DH

**Stranger:** But we should keep it slow. - DH

**You:** That sounds reasonable - SS

**You:** So for now, kissing and over-the-clothes touching - SS

**Stranger:** Plus imagine the look on my mother's face if she finds out you fucked me. - DH

**You:** If you talk about me fucking you, I'm going to die a little - SS

**Stranger:** You haven't thought about it? I have. I think you'd be good at it. - DH

**You:** Oh jesus - SS

**Stranger:** I've thought about it in your car too. - DH

**You:** Fuck - SS

**Stranger:** In your locker room? - DH

**You:** You are going to actually kill me - SS

**Stranger:** I think you're going to fuck me at some point, so you'll have to stay alive for that. - DH

**You:** Nope - SS

**You:** You'll be a black widow - SS

**Stranger:** Nope. I'm not going to settle for just once - DH

**You:** Okay, then I'll embarrass myself to death - SS

**Stranger:** Embarrass yourself how? - DH

**You:** By coming in my pants - SS

**Stranger:** You could just jerk off and think about me. - DH

**You:** Please tell me you'll do the same and I'm not the only one stupidly turned on right now - SS

**Stranger:** Who says I haven't already done it. - DH

**You:** Oh my GOD - SS

**Stranger:** What? Want pictures? - DH

**You:** I mean, yes, but we said slow? - SS

**Stranger:** Well we're not sleeping together. - DH

**You:** [long delay] Okay, time out - SS

**Stranger:** Hm? - DH

**You:** I would love to keep going, holy /shit/ would I love to, but I don't think it's smart - SS

**Stranger:** Because I'm bad at this? - DH

**You:** No! - SS

**You:** You're really good at it! - SS

**You:** But I think that maybe the sexting should come /after/ the first date and first kiss? - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. Sorry. Yeah. You're right. Slowing down. - DH

**You:** [delay] Do you need me to be the one to slow us down? To keep track of that? - SS

**Stranger:** Probably. - DH

**Stranger:** I did say I got stupid around you. - DH

**You:** Okay - SS

**You:** How about, if I say 'that's enough', you'll know I mean that we need to slow down, not that I don't want to do things? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. I can deal with that. - DH

**You:** Because I really do want to - SS

**You:** But we're not ready yet - SS

**Stranger:** Haven't even gone out yet. - DH

**You:** Exactly - SS

**Stranger:** Okay. But you like me. Right? - DH

**You:** I like you a lot - SS

**You:** I'm very attracted to you - SS

**You:** I'm looking forward to us going further - SS

**Stranger:** Good. I won't be good with another rejection. - DH

**You:** I'm really sorry I yelled at you that time - SS

**Stranger:** You didn't mean it like that. - DH

**You:** I'm still sorry - SS

**Stranger:** You'll make it upto me. - DH

**You:** I'll do my best - SS

**Stranger:** I would say you can fuck me a lot. But we already said we'd wait on that. - DH

**You:** We'll figure something out - SS

**Stranger:** Maybe just a lot of dates. - DH

**You:** Absolutely - SS

**Stranger:** And kissing me till I can't breathe. - DH

**You:** Definitely on the agenda - SS

**Stranger:** I'm telling Erica by the way. - DH

**You:** I will probably be telling Scott pretty soon - SS

**Stranger:** Erica might threaten you. - DH

**Stranger:** Will Scott? - DH

**You:** Scott isn't very threatening - SS

**You:** Even if he tried, it wouldn't work - SS

**You:** Pretty sure he'll just try to befriend you - SS

**Stranger:** I can work with that. - DH

**You:** I'll see you tomorrow? - SS

**Stranger:** At the bleachers. - DH

**You:** I'll see you there - SS

Stranger has disconnected.

 


	44. Parental Missteps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> featuring Sheriff Stilinski
> 
> WARNING: mention of rape

 

 

**Stranger:** You and I need to have a talk. -JS

**You:** Who is this? - DH

**Stranger:** John Stilinski. Town Sheriff. Stiles' dad. -JS

**You:** [delay] Right. Yes sir - DH

**Stranger:** What's going on with you and my son? -JS

**You:** ...we're dating? - DH

**Stranger:** You're aware that my son is still 17, right? -JS

**You:** Yes sir - DH

**You:** If I were the only person involved, we'd wait, but I'm not. Stiles made his opinion very clear on that - DH

**Stranger:** So this isn't your "thing" then? You're not just looking for a new underage boy to get off on? -JS

**You:** NO - DH

**You:** [delay] I'm sorry, sir, that was rude - DH

**Stranger:** Stiles is my only child. He deserves the best. -JS

**You:** He really does - DH

**You:** I promise you, sir, I am /not/ ready to have sex with your son, regardless of how ready Stiles says he is - DH

**Stranger:** If you hurt him I have no issue buying wolfsbane bullets, Derek. -JS

**You:** Believe me, sir, I'm aware - DH

**You:** [delay] Dad, this is Stiles. Stop terrorising my boyfriend. He looks like he's going to be sick. - SS [from Derek's phone]

**Stranger:** I'm giving him the talk. -JS

**You:** There's giving him the talk and there's traumatising him - SS

**Stranger:** I'm just making sure he's not taking advantage of you. -JS

**You:** Yeah well, we've already had the conversation about how he's not a rapist, I'd appreciate it if you didn't undo all my hard work - SS

**You:** And no, that doesn't mean we've had sex already, put away the gun - SS

**Stranger:** What if he's just turning into Kate, you know she took advantage of him when he was young. -JS

**You:** Take that back - SS

**Stranger:** Stiles I'm just worried about you...-JS

**You:** Yeah, well, I'm worried about /Derek/. Because there's noone else to do it - SS

**You:** Because his /rapist/ murdered his family. Don't you dare turn that around on him - SS

**Stranger:** I don't think he's a bad man, Stiles...-JS

**Stranger:** But sometimes trauma can affect people in a negative fashion. -JS

**You:** And I'm telling you, that's not Derek. Peter, yes. But not Derek - SS

**You:** I'm deleting these texts now, and next time you contact Derek, I expect you to treat him with the respect you'd treat any abuse survivor that walked into the station - SS

**Stranger:** Stiles. -JS

**Stranger:** I'm sorry...-JS

**Stranger:** Invite him to dinner Friday -JS

**You:** [delay] Thanks, Dad - SS

**Stranger:** Is he okay? -JS

**You:** I managed to get the phone off him before you drove him into a panic attack, and I didn't let him see the rest - SS

**Stranger:** Panic attack? -JS

**You:** Do you seriously think he doesn't have PTSD, Dad? - SS

**Stranger:** I never thought...-JS

**You:** No. You didn't. - SS

**Stranger:** Stiles all I knew was that a 22 year old was dating my 17 year old son, can you blame me for being worried? -JS

**You:** You knew that he was one of three survivors of a mass murder, the other two of which have since been murdered and disappeared - SS

**You:** You knew that he was abused as a teenager by the murderer who killed his family - SS

**You:** And you didn't think for the five minutes necessary to realise he might have some issues - SS

**Stranger:** I was thinking about you, not him. I'm sorry...-JS

**You:** You can apologise to Derek on Friday - SS

**Stranger:** I'll make sure to cook him the best burger he's ever had. -JS

**You:** There'd better be plenty of salad on yours - SS

**Stranger:** It's a special dinner, no salad. -JS

**You:** Derek /likes/ salad - SS

**Stranger:** ...seriously???? -JS

**You:** If the vegetables are good quality, yeah - SS

**You:** He's kind of a health nut - SS

**Stranger:** Of course he is. -JS

**You:** Not that he needs it - SS

**Stranger:** I'm sorry I was so harsh on him. -JS

**You:** He's the one you need to apologise to, not me. But you should do it face-to-face, so he actually believes you - SS

**Stranger:** I'll make sure I do. -JS

**You:** Thanks, Dad - SS

 

 


	45. Coming Out Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> pre-slash

 

 

**You:** [missent text] I just wish I could believe he'd believe me, dude - SS

**Stranger:** I have no idea what that means -DH

**You:** Oh shit - that was meant for Scott, sorry - SS

**You:** Ignore me - SS

**You:** We were just talking about my dad - SS

**Stranger:** I thought he already knew about werewolves? -DH

**You:** It's not werewolves - SS

**You:** Admittedly, I find it kind of ironic that it was easier to tell my dad about a supposedly non-existent species than to come out to him - SS

**Stranger:** Oh. -DH  
You're gay? -DH

**You:** Pan, I think - SS  
But not straight, anyway - SS

**Stranger:** Ah, right. -DH  
Sorry, I don't have much advise about coming out. When you live with a family of werewolves, there's no need. Everyone already knew -DH  
A bit too much, actually -DH

**You:** Ooooh. That sounds horrifyingly embarrassing - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah. Laura liked to listen in on my porn -DH

**You:** Oh my god, no, a thousand times no - SS

**Stranger:** Exactly. Started wearing headphones -DH

**You:** Excellent plan - SS

**Stranger:** Except then I couldn't hear what the rest of the house was doing and Cora walked in on me -DH

**You:** Teenage you couldn't catch a break, could he? - SS

**You:** Wait, isn't Cora, like, six years younger than you? - SS

**Stranger:** Yes. It was... awkward -DH  
My parents had to give her the talk -DH

**You:** Oh my god - SS

**Stranger:** I think that might be part of why she hates me so much -DH

**You:** Because of the horrific embarrassment both of you suffered? - SS

**You:** It's not your fault - SS

**Stranger:** It was pretty horrible -DH  
So why are you worried about your dad believing you? -DH

**You:** Because last time I tried to bring it up, he shut me down /hard/ - SS

**Stranger:** Really? -DH

**You:** "You're not gay." - SS

**Stranger:** Well, technically he's right. You're pan -DH

**You:** Not what he meant - SS

**You:** And I lean towards male-presenting people, so - SS

**Stranger:** Just try again. Make sure he knows you're serious -DH

**You:** [delay] Maybe I should just start bringing guys home and wait for him to walk in on us - SS

**You:** It's bound to happen eventually - SS

**Stranger:** Trust me, it's not worth the trauma of having your parents walk in on you -DH

**You:** You haven't had a lotta luck with privacy, have you? - SS

**Stranger:** Not even a little -DH

**You:** [delay] The stupid thing is, I /know/ why he doesn't trust me. It makes perfect sense - SS

**Stranger:** No it doesn't. -DH

**You:** Yeah it does. I've lied to him a lot. I still do - SS

**Stranger:** Only when you had a good reason to. And he knows that too. -DH

**You:** Ehh...more recently, yes. When I was younger 'getting out of trouble' was a good reason - SS

**You:** Then again, when I was younger, I was a shitty liar - SS

**Stranger:** The point is, he should trust you. -DH

**You:** Why? - SS

**Stranger:** Because you're his son, and you're a good guy. -DH

**You:** I'm an expedient guy, with an exceptionally good best friend - SS

**Stranger:** You're pretty exceptional yourself -DH

**You:** Thanks - SS

**Stranger:** Talk to your dad -DH

**You:** Thanks, Derek. Really. - SS  
[that evening] Well, that went both well and poorly - SS

**Stranger:** Which means? -DH

**You:** On the upside, he believes I'm not straight now - SS

**You:** On the downside, I ended up having to round down to bisexual because getting even that explained took ages - SS

**You:** Which was annoying - SS

**You:** Also I'm fairly sure he thinks I only brought it up to lay the foundations for introducing a boyfriend - SS

**Stranger:** You can work him up to Pan in time, I'm sure. -DH  
Are you introducing a boyfriend? -DH

**You:** No. Pretty sure you guys would have noticed if I was dating - SS

**Stranger:** Still. -DH

**You:** Still what? I'm not dating - SS

**You:** I'd kind of like to have it acknowledged that my sexuality is a part of /me/, not just a part of my relationships with other people - SS

**Stranger:** I know, I know. But a lot of people don't officially come out unless they have someone to come out with. It's not a weird assumption -DH

**You:** I guess - SS

**You:** I never really intended to be closeted - SS

**You:** Dad just shoved me in there - SS

**Stranger:** Well, now you're out -DH  
Congrats -DH

**You:** Thanks - SS

**You:** Think I should bake a cake? - SS

**Stranger:** Always. -DH

**You:** "Let them eat cake": Derek's motto for life - SS

**Stranger:** It's not bad -DH

**You:** Better than "the cake is a lie" - SS

**Stranger:** If the cake is a lie, someone will get punched -DH

**You:** Wanna come over and play portal and eat cake with me? - SS  
Promise there'll actually be cake - SS

 

 


	46. New Normals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> newly established

 

 

**You:**  Why are you trying so hard to hide us? - SS

**Stranger:** I'm not. -DH

**You:** You shower before you leave, every time, and you never sit with me when we're with the others. You barely /touch/ me when we're with the others - SS

**You:** I'm supposed to believe that's just habit? - SS

**Stranger:** I guess I'm just not that into PDA. -DH

**You:** Well I am - SS

**You:** Or at least, I think I would be, if you let me - SS

**You:** Does it really bother you? - SS

**You:** Them seeing? - SS

**Stranger:** No, Stiles. Why would it bother me? -DH

**You:** I don't know. I just feel like maybe it does - SS

**Stranger:** I promise you it doesn't. -DH

**Stranger:** I guess I'm just getting used to it. -DH

**Stranger:** I'm sorry. -DH

**You:** Getting used to what? - SS

**Stranger:** Us. -DH

**You:** Well, I mean, I am too, but I feel like I'd get used to it faster if I was allowed to act like your boyfriend in public - SS

**You:** We're boyfriends, right? Or are we just dating for now? - SS

**Stranger:** Is there a difference? -DH

**You:** Dating is like...you're still making your mind up - SS

**You:** Boyfriends is foreseeable future territory - SS

**Stranger:** We're boyfriends. -DH

**Stranger:** I just...suck at relationships. -DH

**You:** Well, I'm pretty into you, so that's probably gonna make up for it - SS

**Stranger:** Everyone knows. I promise. -DH

**You:** Yeah? - SS

**Stranger:** We smell different. -DH

**You:** What do you mean? - SS

**Stranger:** I smell like you and you smell like me. A lot more than we used to. -DH

**You:** We used to? - SS

**Stranger:** Well. A little. -DH

**You:** Dude, divulge your wolfy secrets to me. What's this smelling like other people business? - SS

**Stranger:** When people spend time together, their scents combine. -DH

**Stranger:** We've been spending a lot of time together. -DH

**You:** Huh - SS

**You:** So...me and Scott? - SS

**You:** We smell similar? - SS

**Stranger:** It's different when people are dating. Pheromones. -DH

**Stranger:** But you and Scott each have your own scent. They just mix sometimes. -DH

**You:** So you and I used to smell like each other because we were hanging out, but now there's extra bits cause we're dating - SS

**Stranger:** Basically, yeah. It's hard to explain. I'm sorry -DH

**You:** No, it's cool! - SS

**You:** Don't worry about it - SS

**You:** You know I love it when you try to explain this shit, even if it doesn't work - SS

**Stranger:** I knew that's why you liked me. -DH

**You:** Yep. Got nothing to do with your pretty face, everything to do with the werewolf source material - SS

**Stranger:** But really. I'm sorry about not being more public. I'll change. -DH

**You:** Only if you actually want to, though - SS

**You:** I don't want you making yourself uncomfortable - SS

**Stranger:** I mean, I like being with you. -DH

**Stranger:** I just think it's...personal. -DH

**You:** Whereas I want to shout it from the rooftops. - SS

**Stranger:** I just don't want you to think that I'm ashamed of you. You're just special. -DH

**You:** Aww - SS

**You:** Just...you know I'm not gonna make the first move, right? - SS

**Stranger:** I figured you wouldn't. -DH

**You:** I don't want to be too clingy - SS

**Stranger:** You don't need to worry about that. -DH

**You:** You sure? I can be very clingy - SS

**Stranger:** I like you. -DH

**You:** Even people who like me get sick of me eventually - SS

**Stranger:** Don't do that. -DH

**You:** What? - SS

**Stranger:** Don't put yourself down. -DH

**You:** That is the literal truth, dude - SS

**You:** Even I get sick of me some days - SS

**Stranger:** I think I like you more than you like yourself. -DH

**You:** 's possible - SS

**Stranger:** What's your favorite thing about yourself? -DH

**You:** [delay] Those times when I hyperfocus on something that actually matters - SS

**Stranger:** That's a very specific thing to like about yourself. -DH

**You:** I definitely don't like hyperfocusing on, like, cheese flavours - SS

**You:** That's just annoying, and I forget to do important shit - SS

**Stranger:** Hahaha -DH

**Stranger:** I like that you're funny. -DH

**Stranger:** You make me happy. -DH

**You:** I'm sarcastic as hell - SS

**You:** Really? - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, really. -DH

**You:** Because I mean, you're awesome, but that's some pretty heavy lifting - SS

**Stranger:** What? -DH

**You:** I can tell when you're sad, dude - SS

**You:** Or anxious. I recognise the signs - SS

**You:** And you do the Bruce Banner thing of anchoring in anger - SS

**You:** So it's pretty awesome that in all that, I can still make you happy - SS

**Stranger:** I can't believe you just compared me to The Hulk. -DH

**You:** I know. He doesn't even have facial hair - SS

**Stranger:** Thank you. For making me happy. -DH

**You:** Thank you for letting me be there - SS

**Stranger:** I try. Sorry if I ever fall short. -DH

**You:** Imma put on my 'mature person who reads internet relationship advice' hat and suggest that neither of us are perfect and we're both gonna fuck up - SS

**Stranger:** You read relationship advice on the Internet? -DH

**You:** I read everything on the internet - SS

**You:** wikipedia is my coping mechanism for life - SS

**Stranger:** What else did you learn online? -DH

**You:** It is literally impossible for me to answer that question - SS

**You:** It's like, 'what things have you tasted?' - SS

**You:** I dunno, lots - SS

**Stranger:** About relationships. -DH

**You:** Oh - SS

**You:** Relationships come in many types and you should communicate about your expectations? - SS  
Relationships are a buddy system for life? - SS  
Different people pay attention to different kinds of affection? - SS

**Stranger:** That last one's definitely true. -DH

**You:** Having a conversation with a third party while your hand's down someone's pants is a recipe for miscommunication and disaster? - SS

**Stranger:** That's probably true too. -DH

**You:** So what kind of affection do you like? - SS

**Stranger:** Have you ever heard of the five love languages? -DH

**You:** Yes, but why have you? - SS

**Stranger:** I read about it online. I think stuff like that's interesting. -DH

**You:** I'll add it to my list of 'Derek's hidden facets' - SS

**Stranger:** Anyway, I'm mostly an acts of service and quality time kind of guy. -DH

**You:** I'm touch and words - SS

**Stranger:** I thought so. -DH

**Stranger:** Those two are hard for me. -DH

**You:** I can tell - SS

**Stranger:** Not hard for me to show to other people. I can tell you good things about yourself and I love touching you because I know it makes you happy. But receiving it...it makes me nervous. -DH

**You:** Why? - SS

**Stranger:** I've been deceived by them in the past. -DH

**You:** [delay] Is there stuff I shouldn't be doing? - SS

**Stranger:** No, you won't trigger me or anything. I just meant with Kate and Jennifer... -DH

**Stranger:** Touch and words were how they showed their "love". -DH

**You:** I guessed, and my question stands. Not just triggers either. Is there anything you don't like me doing? - SS

**Stranger:** No. You're good. -DH

**You:** You said it makes you nervous, though - SS

**Stranger:** I've been okay with you. -DH

**You:** Tell me if it ever isn't okay, alright? - SS

**Stranger:** You know, this might be the reason I haven't been touching you in public much. It might be a subconscious connection. -DH

**Stranger:** Of course. I think consent is very important. -DH

**You:** Yeah, absolutely - SS

**You:** You think you aren't touching me in public because it doesn't feel safe? - SS

**Stranger:** I guess. I don't know. -DH

**Stranger:** This is stupid. -DH

**You:** No it's not - SS

**Stranger:** I'm a grown man. I should be able to hold your hand during a movie. -DH

**You:** Derek, it's okay - SS

**You:** I mean, if you wanted us to be totally closeted, that would probably suck a bit for me, but this is dealable - SS

**Stranger:** No. I don't want that. I don't want anything like that. -DH

**You:** Yeah? You wanna tell people you're with stupid in the corner? - SS

**Stranger:** Don't call yourself that. -DH

**You:** It was a joke, dude - SS

**Stranger:** You're smart, Stiles. -DH

**You:** Reasonably empirical evidence suggests that's the case, yeah - SS

**Stranger:** I really like you. -DH

**You:** I really like you too - SS

**Stranger:** We are so cheesy. -DH

**You:** Eh. We're not as cheesy as a cheese race yet, so I think we'll cope - SS

**Stranger:** A what? -DH

**You:** Cheese racing - SS

**You:** You know, rolling wheels of cheese down a hill, steering them with sticks? - SS

**You:** Causes a ridiculous amount of broken bones? - SS

**Stranger:** That is the stupidest idea I've ever heard. -DH

**You:** It's traditional - SS

**Stranger:** It's ridiculous. -DH

**You:** Traditional excuses a lot of stupid and ridiculous things - SS

**You:** Even when traditional's not that old - SS

**You:** Like wedding dresses, there's a stupid tradition - SS

**Stranger:** I like wedding dresses. -DH

**You:** You know up until recently, people got a new dress for their wedding if they could afford it, but then it became their sunday best? - SS

**You:** Also, white wedding dresses only date to Queen Victoria - SS

**Stranger:** I love the facts. -DH

**Stranger:** What do you know about wedding rings? -DH

**You:** Used to be one of a range of options in an exchange of gifts between bride and groom that was part of sealing the deal - SS

**Stranger:** Huh. Interesting. -DH

**You:** They were popular because a) wearable, b) symbolism - SS

**You:** But mostly, only women get an extra ring at the ceremony (in addition to engagement rings) - SS

**You:** Guys got married with the engagement ring until the jewelry industry spied an opportunity in the 20th century - SS

**Stranger:** I want to be with you all the time so you can tell me everything you know. -DH

**You:** That would take a /very/ long time - SS

**Stranger:** I hope to be with you for a very long time. -DH

**You:** Yeah? - SS

**You:** Me too - SS

 

 


	47. Bad Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Featuring Erica

 

 

**Stranger:** Why's Derek sitting here pouting like a kicked puppy? -ER

**You:** What? - SS

**Stranger:** Derek. He looks like a sad puppy, I figured you guys had gotten into an argument or something? -ER

**Stranger:** Is that not what happened? -ER

**You:** I don't think so? - SS

**You:** I haven't even talked to him since breakfast - SS

**Stranger:** Oh -ER

**You:** Is he okay? - SS

**Stranger:** I don't know, he's been kind of weird all morning -ER

**You:** What do you mean, weird? - SS

**Stranger:** Really quiet. He's just kind of sat on the couch all day and said nothing. And he's just staring into space. -ER

**You:** Shit - SS

**You:** Erica, he usually does that when he's remembering bad shit - SS

**You:** Have you tried to bring him out of it at all? - S

**Stranger:** I tried talking to him a little, but he went all non-verbal -ER

**You:** Shit - SS

**You:** Just...hug him for me, okay? - SS

**You:** I'll come over when I can, but he needs touch when he's like that - SS

**Stranger:** Right, okay -ER

**Stranger:** I can do that -ER

**You:** Thanks - SS

**You:** Goddammit, he's going to feel awful about this later - SS

**You:** He hates you guys seeing his trauma - SS

**Stranger:** I know -ER

**You:** I've tried to tell him that you don't respect him any less for it, but I haven't had much luck - SS

**Stranger:** I can imagine -ER

**You:** I appreciate you letting me know - SS

**Stranger:** I didn't know who else to tell -ER

**You:** No, yeah, I was a good choice - SS

**Stranger:** I know -ER

**You:** I'll talk to him about giving you guys more info in case this happens again - SS

**You:** Has he been reacting to noises and scents and stuff? - SS

**Stranger:** I don't know, he seems to be reacting fine, I think? -ER

**You:** Good - SS

**Stranger:** [delayed] Does he usually whimper? -ER

**You:** What happened? - SS

**You:** Was he reacting to something external? - SS

**Stranger:** No, I told him to lie down and put his head in my lap so I could run my fingers through his hair, cause head massages are always good you know? And while I was doing it he just let out this tiny whimper -ER

**You:** Uh...could be good or bad. Talk, remind him who you are, that you're pack, that he's safe - DH

**Stranger:** Got it -ER

**You:** Don't use pet names. At all. - SS

**You:** Just call him Derek - SS

**Stranger:** Okay, just Derek, noted -ER

**Stranger:** Anything else? -ER

**You:** If he's responsive at all, ask him if you can do stuff before you do it - SS

**You:** Always leave him an escape route - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, that makes sense -ER

**You:** Tell him he's safe, but just...tell him about good stuff as well. Even if it's completely random - SS

**Stranger:** Okay -ER

**You:** Thanks, Erica - SS

**Stranger:** It's the least I could do -ER

**You:** The least you could do is freak out and leave it entirely to me, actually - SS

**You:** So, y'know, the support is appreciated - SS

**Stranger:** That wouldn't exactly be fair -ER

**Stranger:** But, you're welcome -ER

**You:** Mm. Derek's going to be surprised you helped, you know - SS

**Stranger:** He is? -ER

**You:** Yep - SS

**Stranger:** Why? -ER

**You:** He seems to forget that taking care of you lot invited reciprocity - SS

**Stranger:** Oh -ER

**Stranger:** If he wasn't so upset right now I'd tell him how stupid that was -ER

**You:** Oh believe me, we have /had/ that conversation - SS

**Stranger:** Good -ER

**You:** I think it's got a lot to do with Laura, actually - SS

**Stranger:** What do you mean? -ER

**You:** She was his alpha for six years, right? - SS

**You:** I think he models himself on her a lot - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, probably -ER

**You:** And the thing is, he's well aware that he needed a lot of help from her, and that she gave him a lot of support and care, but I don't think he really thinks of himself as having given anything back - SS

**Stranger:** God, sometimes I want to just wrap this idiot up in blankets and give him hot chocolate till all the bad shit just leaves him alone -ER

**You:** Oh, I know - SS

**You:** He deserves way better than the life he's had - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, I know- ER

**You:** Anyway, I think in his head an alpha looks after their pack without needing help - SS

**Stranger:** I suppose -ER

**You:** It's bullshit, but it's hard for him to shake - SS

**Stranger:** Yeah, I know -ER  
I think he wants to see you, when can you get over here? -ER

**You:** I'm ready to go, just give me fifteen minutes - SS

**Stranger:** *Okay, good -ER

\-----

 

 

**Stranger:** Erica sighed, continuing to run her fingers through Derek's hair while she put her phone down. "Stiles' is gonna be here soon, Derek, everything's going to be okay," she promised softly, watching as a little of the tension eased out of the Alpha's shoulders.

**You:** Stiles was grateful for Erica, he really was. But he couldn't help but go over his memory of breakfast over and over again, wondering if he had said or done something to set Derek off. Or forgotten something, maybe. He maybe was a little careless of the traffic laws on the way over, but he'd delayed long enough talking Erica through what she needed to know.

**Stranger:** "You're a good Alpha, you know. You listen to us all the time, it's okay if you need to talk to us too from time to time," Erica murmured. "You sure you don't want to tell me what's going on?" She asked again, watching as Derek shook his head and seemed to just hide his face further in Erica's lap.

**You:** Stiles rolled his eyes impatiently at the lack of parking on the street near Erica's place, tapping his fingers anxiously on the steering wheel as he drove around looking for a spot. Finally, he found one, parking the Jeep hurriedly and jogging around the corner to the house Erica's apartment was in.

**Stranger:** "Can you sit up for me, Derek? That'll be Stiles, I need to let him in," Erica requested gently, letting Derek move before she got up from the couch to get go the door. She felt a little guilty for moving, but she knew in the long run Derek would feel better as soon as Stiles got there.

**You:** Stiles /knew/ he didn't need to knock again - there was no way Erica hadn't heard it - but he did anyway, bouncing on his toes as he waited for her to get the door. Derek needed him, and sure, it wasn't urgent, but it /felt/ that way.

**Stranger:** Erica pulled the door open, smiling gratefully when she spotted Stiles buzzing there. "Hey, he's just on the couch. Do you want me to head out and leave you guys alone for a bit?"

**You:** Stiles tilted his head, thinking. "It...might be best," he admitted. "Sorry. I don't want to kick you out, but..."

**Stranger:** "It's cool, I'm supposed to be meeting Boyd tonight anyway, he won't mind if I'm a little early," Erica replied with a light shrug, grabbing her keys and jacket. "Stay as long as you like," she added, slipping on her jacket before picking up her bag and stepping out of the door. "Just...text me when he's starting to feel okay, yeah?"

**You:** "Will do," Stiles promised, and caught Erica up in an impulsive hug. "Thanks," he muttered into her jacket. "I'm - I'm really glad you were here for him, today."

**Stranger:** "Course I was there for him," Erica murmured, tightly hugging Stiles back. "He's always there for me, it's only fair," she pointed out, before slowly letting go of Stiles. "Well, I have a hot date to be early for so, I'll see you later," she leaned forward to press a light peck to Stiles' cheek before making her way out of the apartment building, her stomach twisting itself into knots with worry.

**You:** Stiles hurried to the couch, dumping his phone, wallet and keys on the coffee table, and sat down next to Derek, reaching out for him. "Hey Derek," he said softly. "Is it okay if I hug you?"

**Stranger:** Derek nodded, not wasting any time in moving into Stiles' arms, nuzzling into the crook of the younger man's neck, relaxing a little at the familiar scent rolling through his senses.

**You:** Stiles held Derek close, but not tightly, letting him know he could leave whenever he wanted, and began to rub slow circles on Derek's back. "Erica told me you don't feel like talking right now - is that right?" he asked. Sometimes answering simple questions helped Derek get his voice back.

**Stranger:** Derek simply nodded again, moving closer in the hopes that Stiles might cuddle him tighter. He just needed Stiles to grip onto him right now, so that he'd feel like Stiles would never let him go, as impossible and improbable as that was.

**You:** Okay, so, very non-verbal then. But present, which was good. And clingy, which usually meant he wanted /Stiles/ to be clingy. Stiles tightened his grip experimentally.

**Stranger:** Derek relaxed a little bit when Stiles' grip tightened around him, squeezing his eyes shut as he just focused on /Stiles/. The steady thrum of his pulse, the spiciness in his scent, his slow, deep breaths...it was the only thing Derek had ever found that could really ground him and make him calm.

**You:** Holding Derek tight was apparently a good thing today. Good. "Sorry it took me so long to get here," Stiles murmured, although he didn't linger on the topic. "It was good of Erica to let me know something was up. We should get her something later. Flowers? She doesn't seem like a huge flowers person."

**Stranger:** "She likes that red lipstick stuff," Derek mumbled eventually, once he had calmed down enough. "With the shiny package," he elaborated quietly.

**You:** Stiles smiled, relieved to hear Derek's voice. "Good idea," he said warmly. "You might have to help me come pick it out though - I'm not sure which one you mean."

**Stranger:** Derek nodded a little, falling silent again, content to just sit in Stiles' arms until he was ready to try talking again.

**You:** Stiles pressed a tiny kiss to Derek's hair, trying to convey all the love and care in his heart, the way he wished...how had Erica put it? He wished he could wrap Derek in blankets and feed him hot chocolate until the bad shit went away.

**Stranger:** Derek's eyes slowly fluttered open when he felt the gentle kiss, tilting his head up a little so that he could gaze at Stiles' face. "I don't deserve you," he murmured fondly, sniffling a little in an attempt not to burst out into tears.

**You:** "Babe, you deserve every good thing I can give you," Stiles said quietly, letting go of Derek with one hand to stroke his face.

**Stranger:** Derek slightly leaned into Stiles' touch, still gazing up at the other's face. He doubted he really deserved anything Stiles wanted to give him, but it felt nice to hear Stiles say that he did.

**You:** Stiles, sadly, recognised the doubt in Derek's eyes easily. He carded his fingers softly through Derek's hair. "I know you don't believe me, love," he murmured. "And that's fine. But do you think you can believe that I really do think that?"

**Stranger:** Derek nodded, "I believe that you believe it," he mumbled - knowing that Stiles believed it was sometimes the only thing that got him through the day.

**You:** "Good," Stiles said firmly. "I'm so proud of you, love. You're kind and loving and protective of your pack, and even when you're having a bad day, you keep on trying. Even after everything you've been through, you're still such a good man."

**Stranger:** Derek shook his head a little, his eyes flickering down to Stiles' lap. "It's...it's my mom's birthday and I forgot. It wasn't until after breakfast that I remembered, and I just..." His eyes welled up with tears and he fell silent again in an attempt to control them.

**You:** "Oh, Derek, I'm so sorry." Stiles hugged Derek tight again, remembering all the times /he'd/ fallen apart after forgetting something was associated with his mom. "You go right ahead and cry, okay? I've got you."

**Stranger:** "You're not supposed to forget things like that," Derek mumbled brokenly, sobbing into Stiles' shoulder as soon as he said that he could. "That's not...it's my fault she's gone, I could at least remember her birthday."

**You:** Stiles wanted to argue, but he knew from experience that this worked better if he let Derek get everything out first. "I know, love," he said instead. "I know."

**Stranger:** "I just want to stop screwing up," Derek stuttered, taking deep, shaky breaths to try and calm himself down.

**You:** "We all make mistakes," Stiles reminded him, stroking his back slowly. "But we can fix them."

**Stranger:** "I don't know how. I don't know how to fix them, Stiles," Derek countered with an almost pained whimper.

**You:** "I'll help you," Stiles promised. "I'll always be here to help you."

**Stranger:** Derek nodded a little, "I know. I know, I just...I'm sorry," he mumbled, sniffling a little as he started to calm down.

**You:** "What are you sorry for, love?" Stiles checked. Because if it was the Mom thing, that was okay. But if it was for being upset, that really, really wasn't.

**Stranger:** "For everything. For forgetting, and for pushing Erica out of her own apartment, and for crying all over you, I just...m'sorry," Derek replied softly.

**You:** "You don't get to apologise for crying," Stiles said firmly, still holding Derek tight. "And Erica was happy to let you stay, so you don't need to apologise for that either."

**Stranger:** "Still isn't fair," Derek mumbled, moving so that he could nuzzle back into Stiles' neck.

**You:** " 'All's fair in love and war'," Stiles quoted softly. "And there's plenty of love in this pack." Difficult as it was to get Derek to accept it.

**Stranger:** "M'not good at this," Derek mumbled finally, "At letting people in, I just...I'm not used to it."

**You:** "You're getting better, though," Stiles pointed out gently. "You let me help you now, and you let Erica look after you a bit today."

**Stranger:** Derek nodded again, tilting his head up again so he could look at Stiles. "You know you're probably the best thing that's ever happened to me, right?"

**You:** Stiles blushed. "I'm not so special," he mumbled.

**Stranger:** "You're incredibly special," Derek countered, shaking his head a little.

**You:** "I guess it would be hypocritical of me to keep protesting, huh?" Stiles said after a moment. "How about I take the same deal you did? I'll accept that you believe it."

**Stranger:** "Good. Cause I don't know where I'd be without you," he murmured, shyly hesitating before reaching up to press a light kiss to the corner of Stiles' jaw.

**You:** Stiles smiled back. "I'm not planning on letting you go any time soon, love," he promised.

**Stranger:** Derek hummed contently, resting his head on Stiles' shoulder. "I really like it when you call me that," he murmured after a few moments of silence.

**You:** Stiles had figured that out a while back, which was why it was almost the only pet name he ever used when Derek was upset. "I like saying it," he said simply.

**Stranger:** "I used to hate pet names and stuff, but it's nice when you do it," Derek murmured.

**You:** Stiles had a feeling he knew exactly what (or Who, to be precise) had made Derek hate pet names, but he wasn't going to say so. "I'm glad," he said, nuzzling into Derek's hair.

**Stranger:** Derek grinned faintly when he felt Stiles nuzzle against him, starting to idly trace patterns against Stiles' chest with his fingertips.

**You:** Stiles relaxed as Derek started petting him. Initiating contact like that was a pretty good indicator of Derek's okay-ness. Crisis mostly over, then. "Love, do you mind if I grab my phone to let Erica know you're talking again and stuff?" Stiles checked.

**Stranger:** "Yeah, okay," Derek murmured, obediently shuffling to the side so that Stiles could go pick up his phone.

**You:** "Thanks." Stiles leaned forward to get his phone, and sent Erica a quick message: /He's better. Sad, but okay - SS/

**Stranger:** Good. You guys can stay overnight if Derek doesn't feel okay to go home, I'll be a Boyd's all night anyway -ER

**You:** Nice. ;) We should be good, but thanks for the offer - SS

**Stranger:** I know ;) -ER  
And the offer's there in case you need it -ER

**You:** You're awesome. Have fun with Boyd - SS

**Stranger:** Oh I will -ER

**You:** "Erica says we can stay as long as we like, since she's going to Boyd's," Stiles reported.

**Stranger:** "That's sweet," Derek replied with a small smile. "We probably shouldn't stay for much longer though."

**You:** "Actually, love," Stiles said tentatively. "I was wondering if you might like to visit the graveyard. Or maybe the Preserve somewhere?"

**Stranger:** "Preserve," Derek answered after a few moments of hesitation. At least there he had some good memories to help balance the sad ones, the graveyard was just depressing.

**You:** "Okay." It seemed unnecessary to bring flowers to the woods, but... "Do you want to bring anything? Flowers or something?"

**Stranger:** "I don't really know if there's any point in bringing anything," Derek mused with a slight shrug.

**You:** "It's up to you," Stiles replied. "I like to bring Mom flowers on her birthday, but that's just me."

**Stranger:** "I don't think I'll take anything," Derek decided softly, shaking his head a little.

**You:** "Okay then." Stiles paused. "You didn't really forget it, you know," he said quietly.

**Stranger:** "What do you mean?" Derek asked quietly, curiously tilting his head.

**You:** "Her birthday," Stiles clarified. "It took you an hour, maybe two, to realise, even though there was nothing around to remind you of the date. That's not really forgetting."

**Stranger:** "It felt like forgetting," Derek murmured, dropping his head a little and gazing at the ground.

**You:** "I know, love," Stiles said softly, stroking Derek's back. "But it's something that happens, in time, and you /did/ remember. You don't have to feel guilty."

**Stranger:** Derek slowly nodded, "If you say so," he conceded softly.

**You:** "So we're going to sit here until you're ready to go, and then I'm going to take you to the Preserve and you can tell your Mom happy birthday, and then we'll go home and I'll coddle you, okay?" Stiles outlined the rest of the day, figuring Derek didn't really want to be making decisions right now.

**Stranger:** Derek nodded, standing up and pressing a soft kiss to Stiles' forehead. "I'm ready to go now," he promised.

**You:** Stiles smiled up at him and stood. "I'm proud of you, love," he said, kissing Derek softly. "Let's go wish your Mom a happy birthday."

**Stranger:** "Okay," Derek replied, sighing softly before he took Stiles' hand, leading the way out of the apartment.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit to thewarlockandtheshadowhunter.tumblr.com for Erica and Derek - thank you!


	48. A Cry for Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ((Season 5, instead of everything working out, the pack have turned their back on Stiles and John found out about Donovan and kicked Stiles out. Suicidal thoughts))

 

 

**Stranger:** So I know that I'm like...the last person you want to hear from probably, but please. I need someone to talk to... -SS 

**You:** Stiles? What's wrong? - DH

**Stranger:** So much has gone wrong. The pack...Scott, none of them talk to me. They refuse. Dad kicked me out... -SS

**You:** What? Why would he do that? He loves you - DH

**Stranger:** [Stiles spent the next several texts explaining the events of the last couple of months. Ending in John finding out and throwing him out almost a month before.] And so thats everything. -SS

**You:** God, Stiles - DH

**You:** I'm sorry - DH

**You:** I should have been there - DH

**Stranger:** I just...I'm sorry. I didn't want to bother you. I just...I needed someone to talk to. Someone I hoped would actually listen and understand. -SS

**Stranger:** And not hate me. -SS

**You:** Of course I don't hate you - DH

**You:** Are you okay? - DH

**Stranger:** Not really. -SS

**Stranger:** Theo utterly...ruined my life. I can't even get a job. -SS

**Stranger:** I'm just so tired, Derek. -SS

**You:** I know - DH

**You:** If it helps, it does pass eventually - DH

**Stranger:** Its good knowing you don't hate me. -SS  
Can you do me a favor? -SS

**You:** Of course. How can I help? - DH

**Stranger:** I know you don't want to come back here. Not after everything. And I'm not asking you too, not really...but can you find a way to check on my dad? From time to time, I mean. Make sure he's okay? -SS

**You:** Why can't you do it? - DH

**Stranger:** I won't be here. -SS

**You:** Where are you planning to be? - DH

**Stranger:** Nowhere. -SS

**Stranger:** Maybe...with my mom. If I'm lucky. -SS

**You:** Stiles, don't - DH

**You:** Please - DH

**Stranger:** Why? -SS

**Stranger:** I have nothing, Derek. -SS  
You know they expelled me because of this? -SS

**Stranger:** Theo framed me for all this horrible stuff that happened. They expelled me because people were afraid to go to school with me. -SS

**You:** Come live with me - DH

**Stranger:** What? -SS

**Stranger:** Why...why would you want that though? You can barely stand me. -SS

**You:** That's not true - DH

**You:** I certainly don't want you to die - DH

**Stranger:** I don't even know where you are. I can't... -SS

**You:** I'll come get you - DH

**You:** All you have to do is stay alive until I can - DH

**Stranger:** Where are you? How long? -SS

**You:** A couple of hours - DH

**You:** I'm in San Francisco - DH

**Stranger:** If you really want to... -SS

**You:** Stiles, I don't have so many friends in this world that I'm going to let one die when I know I can help - DH

**Stranger:** Alright. Well, I'm...I've been staying in the alley behind the loft. -SS

**Stranger:** Its easier...the pack doesn't come around here very often. -SS

**You:** Do you have any money left? - DH

**Stranger:** I haven't had any for about two weeks now. -SS

**Stranger:** Didn't have much to begin with. -SS

**You:** Jesus, Stiles - DH

**You:** I left a cache of emergency supplies in the subway car at the old station - DH

**Stranger:** [Delayed] Really? Um...like what? -SS

**You:** Cash, bottled water, museli bars, bandages, baby wipes, change of clothes - DH

**Stranger:** God I'm crying. I'm sorry. -SS

**You:** It's okay - DH

**You:** Do you think I've never cried? - DH

**Stranger:** Well...no but...I feel so pathetic. -SS

**You:** Why? - DH

**Stranger:** I just do. -SS

**You:** Stiles, I made that cache when I was literally homeless, and I'd only just decided that living in abandoned subway car was an improvement on living in the burnt-out home of my dead family - DH

**You:** I've been there - DH

**Stranger:** Is that old mattress still there you think? -SS

**You:** I don't know - DH

**You:** The stuff I mentioned is all in a backpack on the roof of the car - DH

**You:** It might be a bit tricky to get down - DH

**Stranger:** [Delayed] I found it. Got it. -SS

**You:** You should get cleaned up and go buy yourself some curly fries. You'll feel a lot more human - DH

**Stranger:** I just have to be careful. I think...I'm gonna clean up and sleep. -SS

**Stranger:** I'll see you soon though? Right? -SS

**You:** You will. I promise - DH

**Stranger:** Thank you, Derek. -SS

**You:** You're welcome, Stiles - DH

**You:** Stay safe - DH

 

 

**\-----**

**Stranger:** Stiles had managed to climb up onto the car and get the bag down, digging through it before bursting into a fresh round of tears all over again. He was filthy and probably severely underweight by then, only managing to eat what scraps he could dig out of the trash before he was run off by whoever caught him. So he found himself slipping into a gas station and cleaning up in the bathroom as best he could, though he knew he was still filthy. He threw out the old clothes he'd been wearing and put on the ones in the bag, though they swallowed him. He managed. Then he took the money, buying a few things from the gas station and then running back to the subway. He'd found an old blanket that he was fairly certain was left behind by one of the betas and curled up on the ratty old mattress, shivering as he fell asleep for the first time in days.

**You:** The whole time Derek was driving back he was cursing himself. Why hadn't he been checking in more? Because there was so little left for him in Beacon Hills, and he needed to keep what sanity he could. But for Stiles to have got this bad and him not to have known? Derek took a deep breath, reminding himself that anger and guilt didn't help. It didn't make the trip go any faster though. When he finally got to the subway station and smelled the mix of desperation and despair in the air, he was hard pressed to keep calm. He didn't want to wake Stiles, though, not when he looked so exhausted. Instead, Derek got out a book and settled by the entrance, guarding Stiles' rest.

**Stranger:** It was a couple of hours after Derek got there that Stiles woke up and he shifted, laying in the spot for a long moment before looking around. He brushed his fingers through his hair, sighing and yawning. He stretched and slowly sat up, spotting Derek suddenly. "Derek?" He asked, sounding so hopeful at the presence. "Derek, is that you?" He was still so weak and tired, the little bit of food and water he'd had wasn't enough to restore his strength.

**You:** "It's me, Stiles," Derek said quietly. "I didn't want to wake you. How are you?"

**Stranger:** He smiled a bit suddenly, stumbling to get up and moving over to him. "Me? I'm okay. Just still tired and...just...yeah." He shrugged a shoulder before sitting down next to him. "Thank you...for all this."

**You:** Derek gently leaned against Stiles, trying to offer support without intimidating him. "You're welcome," he murmured. "Thank you for staying alive."

**Stranger:** The support was perfect and he leaned into Derek, closing his eyes and laying his head down on his shoulder. He shifted a bit closer, slowly wrapping his arms around Derek's shoulders before he started sobbing again. "You don't...I don't...have anything."

**You:** "You have me," Derek said softly. "I'm here now, Stiles. I'll help you. I believe you. You're going to be okay."

**Stranger:** Stiles just sagged against Derek, holding onto him tightly before pulling back and looking at him. "Thank you." He whispered before shifting a bit. "Can we go? Sorry I just...I know you've just got here but..."

**You:** "I've been here a couple of hours," Derek reassured him. "And honestly, I'll be happy to leave this town behind."

**Stranger:** "Really? Um..." He hesitated as he sat there, looking at him before nodding. "Can we just drive by my dad's house? Just once?"

**You:** Derek took a deep breath, and nodded. "We can drive by as many times as you need."

**Stranger:** "Just the once. No point in it after that." He looked so sad and just completely despondent in that moment, tears in his eyes. "Lets get out of here." He reached out and took Derek's hand, squeezing as he stood up.

**You:** Derek stood as well, opening his arms. "Can I give you a hug?" he asked quietly. "If that's okay?"

**Stranger:** He looked at Derek for a long moment before nodding quickly, stepping in close to the werewolf, wanting to press as closely to him as he possibly could. "Please. I'd love that."

**You:** Derek hugged Stiles close but not tight, wary of hurting him, and feeling how thin Stiles had gotten made his heart ache. "I've got you now," Derek promised. "You're safe. You're not alone."

**Stranger:** Stiles hugged back tightly, burying his face against Derek's chest. The warmth of the man just seemed to seep into his bones and he felt himself getting tired again. He yawned as he leaned into him.

**You:** "You can sleep in the car if you like," Derek offered. "You'll probably be sleeping a lot for a while."

**Stranger:** "Dad's house first. I...um...I don't have anything...either. He wouldn't let me take anything with me. I managed to steal one of those prepaid phones and I spent a little money to get a month long phone card." He said, looking over at him.

**You:** "That was smart," Derek praised him. What the hell had Stilinski been thinking? He /knew/ what happened to kids on the streets. "Shall we get going?"

**Stranger:** He nodded, hesitating before grasping the man's hand again. Though he didn't hold on tightly in case Derek wanted to pull away. He just needed the contact, the feel that someone was there for him, someone that cared about him.

 

 

\-----

**Stranger:** Stiles only stayed awake long enough for them to drive by the sheriff's house. He looked up at it one last time before turning away and shifting, laying the seat back slightly. Then he was out within moments. He slept the entire way to San Francisco, only waking up when he felt the car come to a stop. He looked around drowsily, curious as he got out and then followed Derek inside and up to his apartment. He scrubbed a hand through his still dirty hair, stepping inside slowly.

**You:** "I have a guest room," Derek said, feeling a little awkward. "Technically it's Cora's, but she's never here." He led Stiles through the living room, pointing things out. "Kitchen's there, bathroom's there. Towels are in the closet here. I'll get you a change of clothes, if you want?"

**Stranger:** He took everything in, shifting from one foot to the other. "That would be great. Derek...thank you. So much." He said before stepping into the bathroom. He pulled a towel out of the closet, laying it on the counter before he started stripping out of the clothes he'd been wearing. He was so pale and he'd lost so much weight. He avoiding looking at himself in the mirror, knowing he looked like hell.

**You:** Derek's first instinct was to cook something filling, but he knew if Stiles hadn't been eating much, it would only make him sick. Instead, he started heating up some chicken noodle soup. (He usually kept cans of soup around - they were cheap, convenient, and not entirely made of crap.)

**Stranger:** He showered, unable to keep the groan in as the hot water washed over his skin. He leaned against the wall, just watching as the water washed away the dirt that had accumulated that he hadn't been able to clean off before. He finally grabbed the body wash and the shampoo, using them to really scrub off the dirt and grime.

**You:** Derek tried not to listen in, tried to give Stiles his privacy. It mostly worked. Unfortunately, that left him dwelling on the way everyone in Beacon Hills had abandoned Stiles, which just made him angry.

**Stranger:** Stiles stayed in the shower until the water ran cold, finally getting out and drying off. He found the clothes that Derek had set out for him, pulling them on with a smile, rubbing his hands over the fresh, clean clothes. It was better than he'd had in weeks and finally he came out of the bathroom and followed the sounds of Derek to the kitchen. "Hey...whatcha doing?"

**You:** "Making you soup," Derek replied, looking Stiles over. He was pale and thin, but he looked better. "I'm only going to give you half for now, though. I don't think more would be a good idea."

**Stranger:** The soup already smelled amazing and he stepped closer, leaning against the counter. He couldn't help the way he looked at Derek. With hope in his eyes. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't messaged me..."

**You:** "I don't want to think about it," Derek said roughly, getting out a ladle. "Just...promise you'll tell me if you feel like that again? Please."

**Stranger:** He continued to watch the man, slipping over to the table and sitting down. "I mean..I don't really feel..." How could he explain it? "They all just abandoned me without even hearing my side of the story. Donovan was determined to kill me. There wasn't any choice for me, but they all kept saying there was. Scott, my dad, all of them..."

**You:** "They're idiots, and I'm incredibly angry at them," Derek admitted, half-filling a bowl with soup and passing it over. "They had no reason to trust Theo, and every reason to trust /you/."

**Stranger:** "Well its too late now anyways. I don't..." He shook his head, brushing his fingers through his hair slowly. "Even if they did suddenly decide to try and make everything right...I don't think I could."

**You:** Derek nodded, pouring the rest of the soup into a second bowl for himself and grabbing a couple of spoons. "There's no reason why you should forgive them," he agreed. "That's on them."

**Stranger:** He took the bowl once Derek offered it to him, eating quickly before reminding himself that if he overdid it he would likely make himself extremely sick. So he slowed down, closing his eyes and taking a breath. "So where is Cora anyways?"

**You:** "Travelling," Derek said with a shrug. "She's in Europe at the moment, but she never stays in any one place long. I get postcards." He gestured at the fridge, which was, indeed, covered in postcards.

**Stranger:** Stiles looked up at the fridge, taking in all the postcards before nodding with a smile. "I'm glad she's okay. Last I heard about Peter...he was in Eichen House, but I haven't heard anything more recent."

**You:** "That's..." Derek shook his head. "Is it weird that I feel like I owe him better than that?"

**Stranger:** "He's your uncle so no not really. I mean...he did try and help out some. Even if he tried to kill Scott again in the end." He said, shrugging a shoulder as he finally finished the last of his soup.

**You:** "He killed Laura," Derek pointed out.

**Stranger:** "I know he did, but he honestly seemed adamant when he said he hadn't meant to. Do you think he possibly could have been telling the truth?" He asked, genuinely curious about what Derek might think.

**You:** "It's possible he was feral," Derek admitted. "I just...it's hard to forgive him, especially with everything that happened afterwards."

**Stranger:** "Oh believe me I get that. I remember...you know he offered me the bite? The same night he bit Lydia." He said, suddenly rubbing his wrist as he remembered it. "He said I was lying when I said no."

**You:** Derek frowned hard. "That's so not okay," he said. "That's just...basic consent. If you weren't willing to say yes out loud, you weren't willing enough."

**Stranger:** "Well obviously he didn't do it. He let me go, but he still said I was lying." He said, shrugging a shoulder before hesitantly reaching over and gently taking his hand.

**You:** Derek squeezed Stiles' hand in reply. "Still not okay," he said. "How are you doing?"

**Stranger:** "Better. I finally feel like I can breath. Like I'm not just...waiting for the pack to find me, for someone like Theo to decide its time to put me down." He said, ducking his head. "Or for my dad to decide to put me in jail."

**You:** "Good," Derek said quietly. "I'm not going to let any of that happen, okay?"

**Stranger:** "Yeah I know that now. I believe you and I trust you." He said, squeezing his hand before lacing their fingers.

**You:** "Thanks," Derek said with a smile. "You'll be alright."

 

 


	49. The Best Boy a Blob Could Want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ace!Derek, genderqueer Stiles

 

 

**You:** Thank you for the date last night - DH

**You:** It was great - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, it was. You don't have to thank me, it was my pleasure. -SS

**You:** There's...something you should know before you decide if you'd like to go on another one - DH

**Stranger:** .. Okay... That's ominous. -SS

**You:** I want to date you! - DH

**You:** But I...I don't want sex - DH

**Stranger:** With me? Or...? -SS

**You:** With people - DH

**You:** If I could want sex with you, I'm sure I would, I just...can't - DH

**Stranger:** You're asexual? -SS

**You:** You've heard of it, then? - DH

**Stranger:** Well yeah. Lots of younger people do these days, talked about more... So's gender and stuff. -SS

**You:** Yeah - DH

**You:** I didn't come across it until I was old enough to drink - DH

**Stranger:** Stuff takes a while to figure out sometimes anyway. It's okay, Derek. -SS

**You:** Is it okay with you, though? - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, that's what I just said. -SS

**You:** Dating me, I mean - DH

**Stranger:** I thought all that was packed into the 'it's okay' but apparently not. Yes. Derek. I still wanna date you. -SS

**You:** I'd understand if you wanted someone more normal - DH

**Stranger:** Asexual doesn't mean abnormal. -SS

**You:** Feels that way - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, I get that. But it's not true. You're not weird or anything. I promise. -SS

**You:** You should know that I'm sex-repulsed, too - DH

**You:** I wasn't always, but... - DH

**Stranger:** Okay, yeah, that makes sense. I mean I could have guess that things would have been at least a bit uneasy, so... -SS

**You:** It's - I'm good at suppressing it, but I thought you'd prefer to know - DH

**Stranger:** Well thanks for telling me. I would have hated to make you uncomfortable. -SS

**You:** I still like...physical closeness, I guess - DH

**Stranger:** You guess? -SS

**Stranger:** Because I'm going to be honest here and say that if we can't cuddle and kiss and hold hands, I can't be with you. -SS

**You:** No, we can, we really can, I just didn't know how to describe what I like, please - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Good. Because I need affection. Like oxygen. -SS

**Stranger:** Just... tell me what you like. be straightforward. -SS

**You:** I'm sorry - DH

**You:** I like any kind of platonic affection, a lot - DH

**You:** Beyond that...hands below the belt, making out that gets too intense, that's where it gets uncomfortable - DH

**You:** I can handle kisses - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Well if things get too intense just let me know. -SS

**You:** I will - DH

**You:** Intent matters a lot for me. Mostly because of scent - DH

**You:** Which makes it harder, usually - DH

**Stranger:** Because you can smell arousal? -SS

**You:** Yes - DH

**Stranger:** Well I can't... I can't help that so much. -SS

**You:** I know - DH

**You:** Up to a point, I'm okay with it, I really am - DH

**Stranger:** Okay... -SS

**You:** But it might get too much for me even if what you're physically doing is very mild - DH

**You:** I'm sorry - DH

**Stranger:** Don't be. -SS

**You:** I feel like I should - DH

**Stranger:** I don't know, maybe if you get to know me and be comfortable with me, the scent thing might get easier? Who knows, right? -SS

**You:** It might - DH

**You:** The problem is, I know I can push through it, but that's because I've been willing to tolerate discomfort - DH

**You:** Not because I've tried to get more comfortable - DH

**Stranger:** Don't. -SS

**Stranger:** Don't do that. -SS

**Stranger:** Okay, you get uncomfortable, and you get away from it, okay? Please? -SS

**You:** It really matters that much to you? - DH

**Stranger:** You matter to me. I can't make you uncomfortable, I can't do that to you. Okay? Please? -SS

**You:** I won't - DH

**You:** If I need space, I'll tell you - DH

**Stranger:** Good. Okay. -SS

**You:** I - anyway, I can...most things are okay without arousal being involved, if that makes sense? Nudity, showering together, touching and kissing bare skin, sleeping in the same bed - DH

**Stranger:** That's nice. I like those things. -SS

**Stranger:** Intimacy without sex. That's always nice. -SS

**You:** Intimacy, yes - DH

**Stranger:** I like you. A lot. -SS

**You:** Yeah? - DH

**You:** I like you too - DH

**Stranger:** Well that works out nicely. -SS

**You:** You still want to date me? - DH

**Stranger:** Yes. -SS

**Stranger:** Can I tell you something? -SS

**You:** Of course - DH

**Stranger:** I'm not entirely sure I identify as a guy. -SS

**You:** Yeah? - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah. I don't know, I just... Don't look right when I look in the mirror. -SS

**Stranger:** And it's freaking me out. -SS

**You:** What's upsetting you about that? - DH

**Stranger:** I never used to question it. I never knew there was another option, and I never felt wrong before. It's like it just hit me. -SS

**You:** They do say gender is fluid - DH

**Stranger:** I guess, yeah. But suddenly looking in the mirror and feeling like you're wrong the way you are is... Scary. -SS

**You:** Yeah. It's not the same, but I hated my eyes for a long time - DH

**Stranger:** When they turned blue? -SS

**You:** Yeah - DH

**Stranger:** I can understand that. -SS

**Stranger:** Would you mind? If I wasn't... A guy. -SS

**You:** No - DH

**You:** I don't mind where you fit on the gender spectrum - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Thank you. -SS

**You:** Of course. You're welcome - DH

**Stranger:** You're the only person who knows.. -SS

**You:** You're the only person who knows I'm ace at this point - DH

**You:** Except for a couple of people in NY who probably wouldn't remember me - DH

**Stranger:** Does it bother you or comfort you? That no one else knows? -SS

**You:** It was nice when I told Laura - DH

**You:** Even though it didn't really impact on her, it was like a weight off my shoulders - DH

**Stranger:** Secrets can be like that. I'm just... Waiting until I figure shit out, I guess. -SS

**You:** That makes sense - DH

**You:** Do you feel female-ish? Or just...not solidly male? - DH

**Stranger:** I feel like a blob. -SS

**Stranger:** Sorry, that makes no sense. -SS

**You:** No, that kind of works - DH

**You:** Like you're neither? Or just vaguely in the middle? - DH

**Stranger:** I'm not really sure. I guess because I haven't tried out a different gender expression or anything yet. All I know is that I wish I had no penis. And that I wish my face was a little softer around the edges. And... My hands are too big, and when dad calls me his son, I get bad goosebumps. -SS

**You:** Okay - DH

**You:** Maybe, if we want to keep dating for a while - which I would - we could think about a word I could call you other than 'boyfriend'? - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, I'd like that. Luckily 'Stiles' is a very gender neutral name and my real first name will never see the light of day. I'd hate to change my name. -SS

**You:** I'm glad you like 'Stiles'. It suits you - DH

**Stranger:** Yeah, I think so too. Thanks. -SS

**You:** So, just checking - calling you my girlfriend feels wrong too? - DH

**Stranger:** Right now, yeah. I'm a blob. A cute blob, though. -SS

**You:** You're a very cute blob - DH

**Stranger:** You wanna come over and watch a movie and cuddle? -SS

**You:** Sure - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Window's open. -SS

**You:** It's going to take me about twenty minutes - I want to get something first - DH

**Stranger:** Something? What kind of something?-SS

**You:** Something - DH

**Stranger:** Okay. Well I'll see you in 20 minutes. -SS

\-----

 

 

**Stranger:** Stiles smiled softly down at his phone, and he paced around his room a bit, trying to clean up as much as he could so he could actually see the floor. He? Was he a he? He shook his head to himself. Until there was some definite answer, it was probably better to stick with what was familiar. 'They' could work, but he wasn't really ready to try it out yet. Maybe after more of a talk. He sighed, and sat down on the edge of his bed, setting up Netflix on his laptop before he laid back, and waited, his stomach filling with butterflies at the mere thought of Derek.

**You:** Derek climbed in Stiles' window, careful of the plastic bag hanging from his hand, and smiled at him. "Room for me over there, blobfriend?" he asked. Hopefully the things he'd brought would help Stiles feel a bit better about the 'blob' thing.

**Stranger:** Stiles glanced up when he heard Derek, and he blinked in surprise at the nickname. And then he grinned, really grinned, and he laughed softly, nodding and shifting back on the bed. "Blobfriend, huh? I kind of like that," he said playfully. "What's in the bag?"

**You:** Derek kicked off his boots and came over to settle on the bed next to Stiles. When he'd been more or less on the run with Laura, he'd learnt pretty quickly where to get things to help them look respectable, and when he tipped the bag out on the covers, out poured a couple of bottles of nail polish (blue and green - gender neutral colours), nail polish removal, and a few big, thick bangles.

**Stranger:** Stiles watched curiously as Derek emptied the contents of the bag out on to the bed, and he curiously started looking through the stuff. His smile softened, but stayed genuine, and he slipped onto of the bangles onto his wrist. It felt nice there, and made his hand look... Slender. He bit his lip, and turned to Derek, giving him a quick little kiss. "Thank you. I love it. All of it."

**You:** Derek smiled back. "I'm reliably informed that if you put the nail polish not quite to the edges of your nails it'll make your hand look a bit smaller," he told Stiles. Working in gay bars had to be good for something.

**Stranger:** "I didn't know that. That's awesome. The bangles work too." Stiles kissed Derek again, and hugged him tightly. "If it helps you feel more comfortable about yourself. Right now I don't want anything below the belt either. Not even from myself. I just... So you know you're not making me do anything I don't want." Stiles pulled back, and he rolled away, grapping an old hoodie to put down on the bed while he painted his nails blue. "My laptops there. You can choose a movie if you want.

**Stranger:** "

**You:** "Thanks, Stiles," Derek said softly. He skimmed through the options, more to inspire his own choice than actually expecting to choose one of them. "Medium serious or absolutely silly?" he asked.

**Stranger:** "Silly. I think we need silly. We've been so serious today," Stiles said, giving Derek a grin before he started carefully painting his nails, trying not to put the nail polish to the edges of his nails. He stuck his tongue out the corner of his mouth in concentration as he tried to get them perfect.

**You:** Derek watched Stiles fondly, and after a moment suggested, "I could paint them, you know. I've done it before." With two sisters, he'd painted right-hand nails a lot of times.

**Stranger:** "Really? Who did you do it for?" Stiles asked, and he carefully moved everything closer to Derek, holding out the hand he'd already started on. "Good boyfriends paint their blobfriends' nails," he said firmly, a playful look in his eyes.

**You:** Derek took the brush and began carefully painting the nail of Stiles' pinkie finger. "Laura. Cora," he answered. "Various drag queens."

**Stranger:** "You have such a rich history, Derek Hale," Stiles murmured. He smiled at the man, watching his face. "Guess I'd be better at this if I'd been doing it since I was a kid."

**You:** "Mm," Derek agreed absently. "It takes practice, especially if you want to do stripes and things." When he finished Stiles' left hand he kissed the back of it, wrinkling his nose a little at the smell, and murmured, "Keep that steady and don't touch things for a few minutes while it dries."

**Stranger:** Stiles leaned over and kissed the top of Derek's nose before he nodded and gave him his right hand. "Well, I'm young, I have plenty of time to practice. It looks good. Really does make my hand look smaller," he hummed.

**You:** "Feel better about it?" Derek asked. He couldn't change Stiles having a penis, or what his father called him, but this, he could do.

**Stranger:** "Yeah, I feel better. Felt better the second I had you here, actually. You make me feel kind of dainty. You know, because you're all big and strong." It really was a relief to look at his hand and see a smaller, more delicate hand.

**You:** Derek smiled and kissed Stiles' cheek. "I'm glad I can help," he murmured, "blobfriend. I'm almost done here, and then we can watch Batman? The sixties one."

**Stranger:** "Oh love that one. Yes. Perfect idea." Stiles grinned, and he blushed lightly, unable to stop himself from smiling because Derek was just making him so happy and comfortable.

**You:** The happiness and contentment in Stiles' scent was wonderful, and Derek couldn't hide a smile of his own as he finished Stiles' nails and got the movie set up. "Here," he offered, lifting his arm so Stiles could fit underneath it. "Let me hold you?"

**Stranger:** Stiles nodded, and he wriggled until he was cuddled up against Derek, fitting perfectly, he thought, as cheesy as that sounded. "Just don't mess up my fingernail, okay, Sourwolf?"

**You:** "How can I do that with my arm around your shoulders?" Derek asked teasingly. "No, cariad, keeping your nails still until they dry is up to you."

**Stranger:** "It's gonne be real hard. I fidget." Stiles smiled, and he leaned up enough to kiss Derek slowly, a little more deeply, but not too much. It left his lips tingling nicely. He wriggled back down, and looked to his laptop as the movie started.

**You:** "It'll only be a few minutes," Derek promised. "If you can manage to hold still until the shark shows up, they'll be completely dry."

**Stranger:** Stiles grinned, and he nudged Derek's foot with his foot, assuming that belong the belt didn't exclude legs and feet. "You're kind of a dork, you know that? It's awesome," he murmured.

**You:** Derek nudged Stiles back. "I'm glad you like it," he replied. "Although it would be pretty hypocritical of you not to."

**Stranger:** "Oh yeah, it really would be." Stiles admired his nails for a moment, and then he focused on the movie a bit more. "How many times have you seen this movie?"

**You:** Derek frowned. "I don't count the number of times I watch movies," he objected. "Who counts the number of times they've seen a movie?"

**Stranger:** "I count the number of times I see movies in the cinema. And sometimes if it's a movie I hate I'll remember how many times I've been forced to watch it," he murmured. "And sometimes I keep count just because I can. So me. That's who."

**You:** "Fair enough," Derek agreed, "but I didn't see this one in cinema - I'm not /that/ much older than you - and I don't hate it, so I didn't count."

**Stranger:** Stiles snorted. "Liar, you're an old man," he teased, and he nuzzled playfully at Derek's chest. "Okay, but you gotta know if you've seen it lots of times or not that many times. You have to know that."

**You:** "...I've seen it a lot of times," Derek admitted at last.

**Stranger:** "A man after my own heart." Stiles hummed, and he watched the movie for a while longer, before his eyes fell off and he started drifting to sleep.

**You:** Derek didn't try to keep Stiles awake. He just leaned back against the headboard and settled him closer, head pillowed on Derek's chest. He turned the volume down - he could follow this movie without the dialogue, and a lot of it was visual humor anyway - and waited.

**Stranger:** When Stiles woke up, he was confused. He frowned at Derek's chest almost suspiciously, and then he remembered why Derek was there. He let out a little groan, and pressed his face to Derek's shirt. And then he heard a door downstairs, and he sat upright. "Dad's home," he said blearily.

**You:** "It's okay," Derek murmured, rubbing Stiles' arm. "He only just got here. Do you want me to leave?" If Stiles hadn't woken up, Derek would have woken him, or gone outside to wait on the roof while his dad checked in.

**Stranger:** "Uh... I don't know, I don't wanna hide you," Stiles mumbled, and he looked down at his own hands, feeling a little sick, because there was no way his dad would just accept the fact that he was wearing nail polish. He could hear the footsteps coming upstairs now, and he stared at Derek. "What do you want to do?"

**You:** "I'll stay," Derek said softly, quietly pleased. "You might want to take the bangles off, though."

**Stranger:** Stiles nodded, and he he pulled the bangles off, and stuffed them in the plastic bag along with everyone else, throwing it under the bed and then just staring at the door anxiously. "Is he coming?" he asked in a whisper.

**You:** "Yeah, he's almost here," Derek reported, trying to hide his own nervousness. He hadn't made a good first, second, /or/ third impression on the Sheriff, and he hadn't had an opportunity yet to make a fourth. "It's okay, Stiles," he promised. "He loves you."

**Stranger:** "Okay. yeah." Stiles nodded, and he grabbed Derek's hand, holding on tightly. And the the door opened.  
The sheriff poked his head inside, and scowled. "Stiles, why is Derek Hale in your bedroom? And why the hell are you wearing nail polish?" he grumbled, clearly tired.  
Stiles' mouth fell open, and he stared, not able to make his voice work.

**You:** "I'm here because we were watching Batman, sir," Derek said, fighting to keep his tone even and calm. "And I think Stiles looks good with nail polish on."

**Stranger:** Stiles gave Derek a grateful look, and he took a deep breath, nodding as he turned back for dad. "We're uh... We're dating, actually. Newly. And it's nice, and... And there isn't and never will be anything illegal involved," he said.  
The sheriff looked between then blearily. "You two are boyfriends? Son, are you sure he's who you want."  
"Yes. Positive," Stiles said without hesitation, trying to ignore the goosebumps that rose on his arms.

**You:** Derek rubbed Stiles' arm comfortingly. "I'm very grateful that Stiles is willing to date me, sir," he said quietly. "I'd like your approval, because you're important to him, but I suspect you know how stubborn he can be. Perhaps I could come over for dinner some time so we could have this talk when you're not so tired?"

**Stranger:** Stiles watched his dad cautiously, and sighed in relief when he nodded, grumbled something about Friday, and left the room, shutting the door behind him. "God, I really have to tell him," Stiles whispered.

**You:** "Hey," Derek said gently, cupping Stiles' cheek and turning it so Stiles met his eyes. "Stiles. My beautiful blobfriend. You don't have to tell /anyone/ until you're ready, okay?"

**Stranger:** Stiles looked into Derek's eyes, and he took a deep, shaky breath, nodding and linking the fingers of their joined hands. "Okay... I just... He was making me feel awful without meaning to because he doesn't know... It'd be better if he knew, don't you think?"

**You:** Derek nodded. "He doesn't want to hurt you - he won't - and he's a tolerant man. You don't have to have an answer when you tell him, okay? All you have to say is that you're questioning your gender identity and you'd prefer if he didn't use masculine words about you."

**Stranger:** Stiles nodded, and he leaned against Derek, his fingers curling into his shirt. "You're the best boyfriend a blob could have," he murmured, and he smiled softly. "Seriously, you're amazing. I'll talk to him later."

**You:** "You're pretty wonderful yourself," Derek replied, wrapping Stiles in his arms. "And...look, if you're happy with 'blob', I'm happy with it, okay? But if you ever want to talk about other things you could be, I'm happy to do that."

**Stranger:** "I was thinking about it before you got here. That I might just be a 'they'. You know? But I don't know, it doesn't... it doesn't feel like me." He shrugged, and sighed softly. "Maybe I'm just going to be a blob some days, and other days I'll be a guy again, or... It's hard, Der."

**You:** "Yeah," Derek said quietly. "There's a whole lot of words out there, and a whole lot of pronouns, and it's frustrating. Want to pick some adjectives instead? You said earlier that you liked the way I make you feel dainty."

**Stranger:** "Dainty. Yeah. I like that. And I like cute, and pretty, and...Beautiful." Stiles hummed thoughtfully, and rested his head on Derek's shoulder, letting his eyes fall shut as he relaxed.

**You:** "Well, you're all of those," Derek said, looking down at Stiles. "What about handsome? How does that feel?"

**Stranger:** Stiles thought for a moment, and then he shook his head. "No, I don't like that. It's too... Too masculine. Makes me feel kind of... Not right."

**You:** Derek nodded. "What about strong? Women can be strong, it's not exclusively masculine, but..."

**Stranger:** "I think it depends on the context. Like... Not as an every day adjective, you know? Only... If I need to know I'm not weak, or I'm doing okay, or I'll fine." He wriggled around so he was facing the other way, his back resting against Derek's chest.

**You:** "So not 'my beautiful, strong blobfriend, Stiles'," Derek confirmed, wrapping his arms around Stiles' waist.

**Stranger:** Stiles let out a soft laugh, and he tilted his head to look up at Derek. "Okay, when you put beautiful with it, it sounds kind of nice."

**You:** Derek smiled down at him, dropping a quick kiss on his lips. "Strong's in the middle then. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. When you're feeling blobbish."

**Stranger:** Stiles smiled, and he kissed Derek again before just settling back against him. "I just can't think of anything else to explain it, you know? Blob kind of works for me right now. Maybe I'll wear a skirt some day and see what happens."

**You:** "I guess the sense I'm getting is that you don't like being masculine, but you don't mind being feminine. Is that about right?" Derek wondered.

**Stranger:** "Yeah, that's about it." Stiles nodded, and he trailed his fingers along Derek's arms. "I really like the nail polish and the bangles."

**You:** "I'm glad, cariad," Derek said gratefully. "I wasn't sure, but I thought it was worth a chance."

 

 


End file.
